How I Built This Website on Oracle Cloud Free Tier (Step-by-Step)
This website is running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) using the Always Free Tier, and in this tutorial I will walk you through exactly how I built it.
When I first started with OCI, I was worried about breaking things, running up costs, and getting lost in the console. So this guide is written the way I wish someone had written one for me. Clear steps, minimal theory, and something you can actually follow along with.
By the end of this tutorial, you will have:
- A secure Linux server running in OCI
- A working website using Apache
- HTTPS enabled with no browser warnings
- WordPress installed and ready to edit
- Everything running within the Free Tier
Architecture Overview
This site runs on a simple but reliable architecture.
Internet
↓
Public IP
↓
Virtual Machine (Ubuntu)
↓
Apache Web Server
↓
WordPress Website
Nothing fancy. Just reliable building blocks that are used in real projects.
Step 1: Create a Free Tier Virtual Machine
First, log into:
OCI Console → Compute → Instances → Create Instance
Use these settings:
Shape
VM.Standard.A1.Flex (Always Free)
Recommended Settings
- OCPU: 1
- Memory: 6 GB
- Image: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
- Networking: Default VCN is fine
Once created, OCI gives you:
- Public IP address
- SSH private key
Save that key somewhere safe.
Step 2: Connect to Your Server
From your terminal:
ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@your-public-ip
If you see:
Welcome to Ubuntu
You are in.
That is your server. Your little piece of cloud infrastructure.
Step 3: Update the Server
Always do this first:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
This makes sure everything is secure and up to date.
Step 4: Install Apache Web Server
Apache is what actually serves the website.
Install it:
sudo apt install apache2 -y
Check it is running:
sudo systemctl status apache2
Now open:
If you see the Apache default page, you are on track.