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Getting Started

Getting Started with HostsNix Panel

Welcome to HostsNix HostsNix is a modern, lightweight hosting control panel designed for developers and system administrators who want a clean, powerful interface for managing their web servers. Whether you're…

Getting Started with HostsNix Panel

Welcome to HostsNix#

HostsNix is a modern, lightweight hosting control panel designed for developers and system administrators who want a clean, powerful interface for managing their web servers. Whether you’re hosting a single WordPress site or managing dozens of client websites, HostsNix gives you full control through an intuitive dashboard.

Unlike traditional hosting panels that feel outdated and bloated, HostsNix is built with modern technologies and focuses on the features you actually use — websites, databases, SSL, backups, and security — without unnecessary complexity.

System Requirements#

Before installing HostsNix, make sure your server meets the following requirements:

  • Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, 24.04 Ubuntu LTS (fresh installation strongly recommended)
  • Memory: Minimum 1 GB RAM (2 GB or more recommended for production servers)
  • Storage: At least 20 GB of free disk space
  • Access: Root SSH access to your server
  • License: A valid HostsNix license key (available from hostsnix.com)
  • Network: A public IP address and open ports 80, 443

???? Tip: We recommend starting with a fresh Ubuntu server. Installing HostsNix on a server with existing web server software (Apache, Nginx) may cause conflicts.

Installation Steps#

Installing HostsNix is a straightforward process that takes about 3-5 minutes. Connect to your server via SSH as the root user and run:

curl -fsSL https://hostsnix.com/wp-json/rknix/v1/download/install -o install.sh && sudo bash install.sh RKN-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The installer will:

  1. Check your system meets all requirements
  2. Ask for your HostsNix license key
  3. Install and configure Nginx as the web server
  4. Install PHP 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 with all required extensions
  5. Install and configure MySQL 8.0
  6. Set up UFW firewall with secure defaults
  7. Install Certbot for free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates
  8. Create your admin account with the credentials you provide

First Login#

After installation completes, you’ll see a summary with your panel URL. Open your browser and navigate to:

https://your-server-ip

Log in with the admin credentials you created during setup. You’ll land on the Dashboard — your central command center for everything happening on your server.

Dashboard Overview#

The Dashboard gives you a real-time snapshot of your server’s health and activity. Here’s what each section shows:

Service Status Cards — At the top, you’ll see the status of your critical services:

  • Nginx Web Server — Shows whether your web server is online and accepting requests
  • MySQL Database — Database server status
  • Firewall Protection — UFW firewall status

Each service card shows a green “Online” badge when healthy, or a red indicator if there’s an issue requiring attention.

Resource Monitoring — Below the service cards, you’ll find real-time performance graphs:

  • CPU Usage — Current processor utilization with configurable time ranges (1 hour, 6 hours, 24 hours) and granularity (1 minute, 5 minutes)
  • RAM Usage — Memory consumption showing used vs. available
  • Disk Usage — Storage consumption with visual breakdown

Quick Stats — Summary cards showing total active websites, databases, and other key metrics at a glance.

The sidebar on the left is your main navigation. It’s organized into logical sections:

Management:

  • Dashboard — Server overview and monitoring
  • Websites — Create and manage all your hosted sites
  • Databases — MySQL database management
  • File Manager — Web-based file browser and editor
  • SFTP Accounts — Secure file transfer account management

Security:

  • Security — Firewall rules and WAF configuration
  • Logs — Access logs, error logs, and traffic analytics
  • Backups — Manual and scheduled backup management

Administration:

  • Users — Multi-user management with role-based permissions

Whats Next?#

Now that you’re logged in and familiar with the Dashboard, here are the recommended next steps:

  1. Create your first website — Head to Websites and set up your first domain with one click
  2. Set up SSL — Enable free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for your websites
  3. Configure backups — Set up automated backups so you never lose data
  4. Review firewall rules — Make sure your security settings are properly configured

Each of these topics has its own detailed guide in this documentation. Use the category filters or search to find exactly what you need.

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