CloudPanel: The free, performance-focused server management solution

CloudPanel is a modern, lightweight server control panel offering exceptional performance with minimal overhead. This free, open-source solution delivers intuitive web-based server management with an obsessive focus on simplicity and performance optimization. Developed by MGT-COMMERCE GmbH, CloudPanel enables users to efficiently manage PHP, Node.js, Python, and static websites on cloud infrastructures with significantly fewer resources than traditional control panels.

What sets CloudPanel apart from other control panels​


CloudPanel distinguishes itself with a completely free pricing model, resource efficiency using up to 30% fewer server resources than alternatives, and a modern technology stack built on NGINX. It excels at cloud integration with major providers (AWS, DigitalOcean, Google Cloud), supports ARM architecture for better performance, and features a clean, uncluttered interface focused on essential functionality. Unlike cPanel ($15/month) or Plesk ($10/month), CloudPanel has no licensing fees while delivering superior performance for high-traffic sites.


The control panel supports Debian 11/12 and Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 on both x86 and ARM64 architectures, with minimum system requirements of just 1 CPU core, 2GB RAM, and 10GB disk space. This lightweight footprint makes CloudPanel particularly well-suited for developers, web hosting providers, digital agencies, and small-to-medium businesses seeking efficient server management without high costs.

Getting started with CloudPanel​

System requirements​


Before installing CloudPanel, ensure your server meets these requirements:

  • Operating Systems: Ubuntu 24.04/22.04 LTS or Debian 12/11 (x86 & ARM64)
  • Hardware: Minimum 1 CPU core (2+ recommended), 2GB RAM, 10GB disk space
  • Network: Ports 8443 (CloudPanel interface), 22 (SSH), 80 and 443 (web services)

Standard installation process​


The easiest way to install CloudPanel is through its automated installer script:

# Update system and install prerequisites
Code: 
apt update && apt -y upgrade && apt -y install curl wget sudo

# Run the installer with MySQL 8.0 (default)
Code: 
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh; \
echo "a3ba69a8102345127b4ae0e28cfe89daca675cbc63cd39225133cdd2fa02ad36 install.sh" | \
sha256sum -c && sudo bash install.sh


For MariaDB instead of MySQL, add the DB_ENGINE parameter:

# Install with MariaDB 11.4
Code: 
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh; \
echo "a3ba69a8102345127b4ae0e28cfe89daca675cbc63cd39225133cdd2fa02ad36 install.sh" | \
sha256sum -c && sudo DB_ENGINE=MARIADB_11.4 bash install.sh

After installation, access CloudPanel at https://your-server-ip:8443 and create your admin user.

Cloud-specific installations​

CloudPanel provides optimized installation parameters for major cloud providers:

For AWS EC2:
Code: 
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh; \
echo "a3ba69a8102345127b4ae0e28cfe89daca675cbc63cd39225133cdd2fa02ad36 install.sh" | \
sha256sum -c && sudo CLOUD=aws bash install.sh

For DigitalOcean:

Code: 
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh; \
echo "a3ba69a8102345127b4ae0e28cfe89daca675cbc63cd39225133cdd2fa02ad36 install.sh" | \
sha256sum -c && sudo CLOUD=do bash install.sh

For Google Cloud:

Code: 
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh; \
echo "a3ba69a8102345127b4ae0e28cfe89daca675cbc63cd39225133cdd2fa02ad36 install.sh" | \
sha256sum -c && sudo CLOUD=gce bash install.sh

Essential configuration and daily management​

Initial security setup​

After installation, immediately secure your CloudPanel:
  1. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all admin accounts
  2. Restrict CloudPanel access (port 8443) to specific IPs using the built-in firewall
  3. Enable Basic Auth for additional protection:clpctl cloudpanel:enable:basic-auth --userName=username --password='securepassword'

Managing websites​


CloudPanel supports multiple application types. To create a new site:

  1. Navigate to Sites > Add Site in the CloudPanel interface
  2. Select the site type (PHP, Node.js, Python, Static, Reverse Proxy)
  3. Enter domain name and configure settings
  4. Install an SSL certificate (Let's Encrypt integration available)
You can also create sites via the command line:

# Add a PHP site
Code: 
clpctl site:add:php --domainName=www.domain.com --phpVersion=8.4 --vhostTemplate='Generic' --siteUser=john --siteUserPassword='secretPassword'

# Add a Node.js site
Code: 
clpctl site:add:nodejs --domainName=www.domain.com --nodeVersion=18 --appPort=3000 --siteUser=john --siteUserPassword='secretPassword'

Database management​


CloudPanel provides multiple ways to manage databases:

  • Through the web interface under the Databases section
  • Via phpMyAdmin for visual database management
  • Using command-line tools:
# Add a database to a site
Code: 
clpctl db:add --domainName=www.domain.com --databaseName=my-database --databaseUserName=john --databaseUserPassword='secretPassword'

# Backup all databases
Code: 
clpctl db:backup --databases=all

# Export a specific database
Code: 
clpctl db:export --databaseName=my-database --file=dump.sql.gz

Troubleshooting common CloudPanel issues​

Login and access problems​

If you can't access the CloudPanel interface:
  • Verify the server is running: systemctl status nginx
  • Check port 8443 availability: netstat -tuln | grep 8443
  • Review firewall settings: ufw status
  • For self-signed certificate warnings, proceed through browser security exceptions
If locked out with 2FA enabled:

Code: 
clpctl user:disable:mfa --userName=admin

Database connection problems​

When sites can't connect to databases:
  • Check database service: systemctl status mysql or systemctl status mariadb
  • Verify credentials: clpctl db:show:master:credentials
  • Restart database: systemctl restart mysql or systemctl restart mariadb

Performance issues​

For slow-loading sites:
  • Check NGINX logs: /var/log/nginx/error.log
  • Review PHP logs: /var/log/php/php8.x-fpm.log
  • Increase PHP limits for memory-intensive sites
  • Enable and configure Varnish Cache (available in CloudPanel v2.1+)

Installation and update failures​

If updates fail:
  • Create a backup before attempting updates
  • Use clp-update --test for simulated upgrades
  • Check for dependency conflicts in logs
  • For "text file busy" errors during installation, try rebooting the server

Advanced CloudPanel features and techniques​

Custom domain and advanced security​

Configure CloudPanel to run under your domain with SSL:
  1. Navigate to Settings > General and enter your domain
  2. Ensure proper DNS setup pointing to your server
  3. CloudPanel will automatically issue a Let's Encrypt certificate
For maximum security, implement:
  • IP restrictions for CloudPanel admin interface
  • Cloudflare integration with "Allow traffic from Cloudflare only" option
  • Regular security updates with clp-update

Advanced vhost configuration​

CloudPanel allows extensive NGINX customization:
  • Enable Google PageSpeed module through site settings
  • Add custom NGINX directives in the "Additional Configuration" section
  • Create custom vhost templates:clpctl vhost-template:add --name='My Application' --file=/path/to/template.txt

External database integration​


CloudPanel works with external database services:

  1. Go to Settings > Database Servers
  2. Add your external database credentials
  3. Set as active and optionally disable local MySQL/MariaDB:systemctl stop mysqlsystemctl disable mysql

CI/CD integration with dploy​

CloudPanel's deployment tool enables Git-based workflows:

# Install dploy
Code: 
curl -sS https://dploy.cloudpanel.io/dploy -o /usr/local/bin/dploy;
echo "8809e9eb63483487f16b0a2e4075a8b18350a02470405e2f786bf82fd7e5fb53 /usr/local/bin/dploy" | \
sha256sum -c && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/dploy

# Initialize in project directory
Code: 
dploy init

# Deploy from git repository
Code: 
dploy deploy

CloudPanel vs. alternatives: which control panel is right for you?​

CloudPanel vs. cPanel​

  • Platform: CloudPanel (Debian/Ubuntu with NGINX) vs. cPanel (CentOS/RHEL with Apache)
  • Cost: CloudPanel (free) vs. cPanel ($15+/month)
  • Features: CloudPanel (web-focused, no email) vs. cPanel (comprehensive with email/DNS)
  • Performance: CloudPanel (lightweight, low resource usage) vs. cPanel (higher resource requirements)

CloudPanel vs. Plesk​

  • Platform Support: CloudPanel (Linux-only) vs. Plesk (Linux and Windows)
  • Interface: CloudPanel (minimalist) vs. Plesk (feature-rich but more complex)
  • Cost: CloudPanel (free) vs. Plesk (paid tiers)
  • Features: CloudPanel (web-focused) vs. Plesk (comprehensive including email)

CloudPanel vs. CyberPanel​

  • Core Technology: CloudPanel (NGINX/Varnish) vs. CyberPanel (OpenLiteSpeed)
  • Performance: Both excellent but with different optimization approaches
  • Features: CloudPanel (simpler, no email) vs. CyberPanel (more comprehensive with email)
  • Learning Curve: CloudPanel (easier) vs. CyberPanel (moderate)

Best use cases for CloudPanel​


CloudPanel is ideal for:

  • Developers managing cloud instances needing lightweight control
  • Web hosting focused on modern applications (PHP, Node.js, Python)
  • Users who prioritize performance and simplicity
  • WordPress hosting environments leveraging Varnish caching
  • Small to medium-sized hosting operations with cloud infrastructure

Security best practices for CloudPanel environments​

System-level security​

  • Regular Updates: Keep CloudPanel and the OS updated with security patches# Update CloudPanelclp-update# Check version after updatingclpctl --version

  • Firewall Configuration: Restrict SSH (22) and CloudPanel (8443) to specific IPs
  • SSH Keys: Use SSH keys instead of passwords for server access
  • Site Isolation: CloudPanel isolates sites at the system level to prevent vulnerability spread

Authentication security​

  • Two-Factor Authentication: Enable 2FA for all CloudPanel users
  • Strong Password Policy: Enforce complex passwords for all accounts
  • Basic Auth Protection: Add an authentication layer to CloudPanelclpctl cloudpanel:enable:basic-auth --userName='admin' --password='securePassword'

SSL/TLS and web application security​

  • Free Let's Encrypt: Use CloudPanel's one-click SSL certificate installation
  • Auto-renewal: Certificates automatically renew to prevent expiry
  • WAF Integration: Consider Cloudflare integration for additional protection
  • IP/Bot Blocking: Use CloudPanel's security features to block malicious traffic

Performance optimization for maximum speed​

Multi-layer caching strategy​

For optimal performance, implement this caching hierarchy:

  1. Cloudflare (edge caching)
  2. Varnish Cache (server-level HTTP caching)
  3. Redis (object caching for applications)
  4. OPcache (PHP bytecode caching)

Varnish Cache configuration​


CloudPanel 2.1+ includes Varnish Cache for dramatic performance gains:

  • Enable through the CloudPanel interface for supported applications
  • Customize cache lifetime, excluded parameters, and path exclusions
  • Increase memory allocation for high-traffic sites
  • Implement strategic cache purging with clpctl varnish-cache:purge

NGINX and PHP optimization​

Fine-tune NGINX for your specific workloads:

# Optimize buffer sizes
Code: 
client_body_buffer_size 128k;
client_max_body_size 10m;
client_header_buffer_size 1k;
large_client_header_buffers 4 4k;
output_buffers 1 32k;
postpone_output 1460;

# Enable and configure gzip compression
Code: 
gzip on;
gzip_comp_level 2;
gzip_min_length 1000;
gzip_types text/plain application/x-javascript text/xml text/css application/xml;

Optimize PHP performance:
  • Use the latest PHP version supported by your applications
  • Configure OPcache for bytecode
    Code: 
    caching:opcache.memory_consumption=128opcache.interned_strings_buffer=8opcache.max_accelerated_files=4000opcache.revalidate_freq=60opcache.fast_shutdown=1opcache.enable_cli=1

  • Adjust PHP-FPM pool settings based on available resources

Community resources and getting help​

Official channels​

Community repositories​

Contributing to CloudPanel​

As an open-source project, CloudPanel welcomes contributions:

  • Code contributions via GitHub
  • Translation assistance for multilingual support
  • Documentation improvements and how-to guides
  • Bug reporting and feature requests

Conclusion​

CloudPanel delivers a refreshing alternative in the server control panel space with its lightweight, performance-focused approach. While it lacks some features of more established alternatives (particularly email functionality), its streamlined design, excellent performance optimization capabilities, and zero-cost model make it an appealing choice for developers and cloud-focused hosting providers.

The active community development and regular updates suggest CloudPanel will continue to evolve as a significant player in the hosting control panel market, particularly for modern, cloud-native deployments where performance and simplicity are prioritized over comprehensive feature sets.
 
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