How to Install Panelica on Ubuntu 24.04: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

10. Explore the Developer Tools

Panelica includes a full API (246 endpoints), webhook support (HTTP, Telegram, Slack, Discord), API key management with granular scopes, a web-based terminal, file manager with code editor, Git manager, and Docker container management. Navigate to Developer Tools to explore.

Adding Your First Website: Step by Step

Here is a complete walkthrough for adding a domain and deploying a website:

Step 1: Point DNS to Your Server

At your domain registrar (or Cloudflare), create an A record pointing your domain to your server's IP address:

Type: A
Name: @  (or your-domain.com)
Value: YOUR_SERVER_IP
TTL: 300 (5 minutes, for faster propagation)

# Also add www subdomain
Type: A
Name: www
Value: YOUR_SERVER_IP
TTL: 300

Step 2: Add the Domain in Panelica

In the panel, navigate to Domains → Add Domain:

1. Enter your domain name (e.g., example.com)
2. Select PHP version (8.4 recommended for new projects)
3. Choose document root (default: /home/username/public_html/example.com)
4. Click Create Domain

Panelica immediately provisions: an Nginx vhost, an Apache vhost (for PHP), a PHP-FPM pool for that user, a BIND DNS zone, the directory structure, and a cgroup slice for resource tracking. This takes about 3-5 seconds.

Step 3: Issue an SSL Certificate

1. Navigate to SSL Management
2. Find your domain and click Issue Certificate
3. Select Let's Encrypt
4. Enable Force HTTPS
5. Click Issue

Let's Encrypt issues certificates via the ACME protocol. Panelica handles the HTTP-01 challenge automatically. The certificate is valid for 90 days and renews automatically.

Step 4: Upload Your Files

You have three options:

• Web File Manager — Navigate to Files → File Manager. Upload files, edit code with the built-in CodeMirror editor, set permissions, create archives.
• SFTP — Connect with any SFTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, etc.) using your Panelica credentials on port 22.
• Git — Navigate to Git Manager, add your repository, and deploy directly from GitHub, GitLab, or any Git remote.

WordPress One-Click Installation

Panelica's WordPress Toolkit is purpose-built, not a wrapper around WP-CLI. Here's how to use it:

1. Navigate to WordPress → Install WordPress
2. Select the domain
3. Enter site title, admin username, admin password, and admin email
4. Choose install path (/ for root, or a subdirectory)
5. Click Install

Panelica creates the database, runs the WordPress installer, configures wp-config.php with correct database credentials and security keys, and sets proper file permissions — all automatically.

WordPress Security Hardening

After installation, you'll see security hardening options in the WordPress Toolkit:

• Protect wp-config.php — blocks direct HTTP access
• Disable XML-RPC — prevents brute-force and DDoS amplification
• Block PHP execution in uploads — prevents webshell uploads from executing
• Force strong admin passwords
• Enable WordPress security keys rotation

Upgrading Panelica

Updates are managed through the panel itself. When a new version is available, you'll see a notification in the dashboard. Navigate to System → System Updates.

The update system:

• Downloads and verifies the update package
• Creates an automatic backup before applying
• Updates binaries, frontend, configurations, and database migrations
• Performs a zero-downtime restart for most components
• Supports rollback if the update fails verification

You can also update individual components (just the backend binary, just the frontend, or a specific service like PHP) without updating the entire panel.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cannot Access Panel on Port 8443

If you can't reach https://your-ip:8443:

# Check if the panel service is running
/opt/panelica/bin/pn-service status all

# Check if port 8443 is listening
ss -tlnp | grep 8443

# Check firewall — allow if needed
ufw allow 8443/tcp

If you're using a cloud provider (AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.), also check the security group or network firewall in their dashboard — those are separate from the OS-level firewall.

SSL Warning in Browser

This is expected on first access. Panelica uses a self-signed certificate for the panel by default. Click "Advanced" → "Proceed" in your browser. To get a trusted certificate for the panel, assign a domain to your server and issue a Let's Encrypt certificate for it in SSL Management.

MySQL Connection Issues

Panelica's MySQL runs on a Unix socket, not a TCP port. Direct mysql -h localhost will fail unless you specify the socket:

mysql -u root -p --socket=/opt/panelica/var/run/mysqld.sock

Use the panel's database manager (Databases → MySQL) for day-to-day database operations. For external connections, use the remote access management feature to create a TCP-accessible database user.

Email Not Sending

If outbound email is not working, check:

• PTR record — your server IP must have a reverse DNS (PTR) record matching your hostname. Set this in your VPS provider's dashboard.
• DKIM setup — navigate to Email → Authentication to verify DKIM is configured and DNS records are published.
• Port 25 — many cloud providers block outbound port 25 by default. Check with your provider. Port 587 (submission) is usually unblocked.

Slow Site Performance

If a website feels slow, check:

• PHP-FPM pool settings — navigate to Domains → [your domain] → PHP Settings to tune process manager, max children, and request limits.
• Cgroup resource limits — check if the user has CPU or memory limits that are being hit (Users → [user] → Resource Usage).
• Enable Redis object cache for WordPress — WordPress → [site] → Performance → Enable Object Cache.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Panelica really free to use?

Panelica offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features. Paid plans start at $9.99/month (Professional: 30 domains, 5 users) and $19.99/month (Business: unlimited domains, 25 users). Annual billing saves 25%. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Ubuntu 22.04 vs 24.04 — which should I use?

Both are fully supported. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) is the newer release and the recommended choice for new installations. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) is equally stable and supported. Both receive security updates until 2027 (22.04) and 2029 (24.04).

Can I run Docker containers alongside Panelica?

Yes. Panelica includes a native Docker manager: container management, image management, Docker Compose support, app templates (with subdomain routing pre-configured), and per-container cgroup resource limits. Navigate to Docker in the panel.

How do I migrate from cPanel or Plesk?

Panelica has a built-in universal migration tool that imports from cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin, CyberPanel, and HestiaCP. It transfers domains, files, databases, email accounts, DNS zones, and SSL certificates. MySQL password hashes are transferred directly, so users don't need to reset their database passwords. Navigate to Migration in the panel.

Can I host multiple websites for different clients?

Yes. Create a RESELLER or USER account for each client. Each user gets their own isolated environment, resource limits, and access only to their own domains and databases. You can set resource quotas per user (CPU, RAM, disk, domains, email accounts, databases, FTP accounts).

What happens to my sites if Panelica stops running?

Nginx and Apache run as independent system services. If the Panelica backend (management API) stops, your websites continue to serve traffic. The panel itself going down only affects management operations, not site availability.

Can I use Panelica with Cloudflare?

Yes, and the integration goes deep. Beyond basic DNS management, Panelica's Cloudflare module supports: zone management, firewall rules, page rules, cache control, analytics, and automatic mail DNS (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) synchronization when you create email accounts. Multiple Cloudflare accounts are supported.

Next Steps

Once you're up and running, here's what to explore next:

• Security hardening — Run the built-in Security Advisor, which performs 50+ checks and gives actionable recommendations for locking down your server.
• Monitoring — The Prometheus + Grafana integration (optional setup) gives you detailed historical metrics for every service.
• API & webhooks — Panelica's External API (246 endpoints, HMAC-SHA256 authentication) lets you automate server management from your own applications. Webhooks can post notifications to Slack, Discord, Telegram, or any HTTP endpoint.
• Mobile app — The Panelica mobile app lets you monitor resource usage, manage domains and backups, and control services from your phone.

Panelica is built by people who manage real servers, host real websites, and deal with real problems. Every feature in this guide exists because we needed it ourselves. If you run into something that doesn't work the way it should, the Panelica community forum is the place to report it or ask for help.

Your server. Your control. No surprises at 3 AM.