New to servers? Start here

Never managed a server before? You’re in the right place. These guides explain the few ideas you actually need — in plain language, with pictures — so the panel stops feeling scary.

You don’t need to be a sysadmin. A website is really just some files on a computer that’s always on, and a control panel like OrbixPanel is the friendly front door to that computer. That’s it.

Read these in order

1. How web hosting works — what actually happens between someone typing your address and seeing your site.
2. Where your website’s files live — the one folder that matters, and how it maps to your domain.
3. Static vs dynamic sites — why a React build is “just files,” but WordPress or a Node API is “a running program.” This tells you how to deploy anything.
4. Put a React / Vite site online — the whole thing, start to finish: build it, upload it, point your domain at it.

Then, as you need them

5. Domains & DNS, demystified — registrar vs nameserver vs A record, and how to point a domain at your server.
6. What is SSL / HTTPS — the padlock, and getting it free in one click.
7. Databases for beginners — a database is just a smart spreadsheet; create one and connect it.
8. Deploy WordPress — the one-click, dynamic counterpart to the React guide.
9. “My site is down” — a calm checklist — the four things to check, in order, with the fix for each.

Running things day to day

10. Email that reaches the inbox — SPF, DKIM & DMARC, so your mail isn’t flagged as spam.
11. Cron jobs explained — run tasks on a schedule (the five fields, demystified).
12. Backups & restore — the one rule that saves you, and why you test restores.
13. FTP/SFTP vs the File Manager — two ways to move files, and when to use each.
14. Understanding your usage limits — CPU, memory, disk & bandwidth, and what to do when you’re near a cap.

Growing beyond one site

15. Subdomains & multiple sites — host many sites on one server; add blog.yoursite.com.
16. Node & Python apps — run a dynamic backend (port, reverse proxy, Deploy from Git — demystified).
17. Environment variables & secrets — keep passwords & keys out of your code; never commit .env.
18. Users, passwords & 2FA — lock down your own account so nobody hijacks it.
19. Glossary — every server word, in one plain line.

The one thing to remember: most “how do I host X?” questions come down to a single decision — is it files, or is it a program? Once you know that, the panel does the rest. The next pages make that obvious.

When you’re comfortable with these, the Tenant Portal guides cover each feature in detail.