A freshly deployed VPS with a base OS template typically has minimal software installed. This guide covers what's usually already there and a sensible order for installing what you'll actually need.
What's Typically Already Installed on a Base OS Template
- The core operating system itself and its package manager (apt for Ubuntu/Debian)
- Basic command-line utilities (bash, common file management tools)
- SSH server, allowing your initial connection
What's Typically NOT Pre-Installed (You'll Need to Add These)
- A web server (Nginx, Apache)
- A database (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
- A language runtime (Node.js, Python, PHP) beyond whatever minimal system dependencies exist
- Docker, if you plan to use containerization
A Sensible First-Install Sequence
1. Update the System First
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -yAlways start here — installing on top of an outdated base reduces the chance of avoidable compatibility issues.
2. Complete Basic Security Hardening
See VPS Security Checklist for Beginners — before installing application software, establish basic security (SSH hardening, firewall, non-root user).
3. Install the Specific Stack Your Project Needs
Depends entirely on what you're building — see the relevant category (Web Servers, Databases, Programming Languages) for your specific needs, or a complete stack guide like How to Set Up a Complete LAMP/LEMP Stack on Debian if building a traditional web application.
4. Install Monitoring Basics
See How to Monitor Real-Time System Resources with htop and top at minimum, and consider fuller monitoring (How to Set Up Prometheus and Grafana for VPS Monitoring) once you have something running worth monitoring.
5. Set Up Backups
See How to Set Up Automated VPS Backups — before you have anything genuinely important to lose, not after.
Useful General Utilities Worth Installing Early
sudo apt install curl wget git unzip htop -yCommonly needed tools not always present by default on a minimal base image, useful across many different setup scenarios.
Avoiding Installing Things You Don't Actually Need
Resist the urge to install every tool that seems potentially useful — each installed package is additional attack surface and maintenance burden; install what your actual project genuinely requires.
Checking What's Already Installed
apt list --installedVerifying a Fresh Install Doesn't Have Unexpected Software
If using an application-specific template (see What Is a VPS Template/Image and How to Choose One) rather than a base OS, review exactly what's pre-installed — understand what's already there before adding more, avoiding redundant or conflicting installations.
Continue Reading
- VPS Security Checklist for Beginners
- How to Set Up a Complete LAMP/LEMP Stack on Debian
- What Is a VPS Template/Image and How to Choose One
Browse more articles in Getting Started / VPS Basics.
