Install ZoPanel

Install ZoPanel with one command, choose components and options with flags, run it unattended from cloud-init, and sign in at https://IP:8888.

Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 5 min read

ZoPanel installs with a single command on a fresh Ubuntu or Debian server. The installer brings the system up to date, sets up the web stack and starts the panel. Check the system requirements first.

Quick install

Connect to the server over SSH as root (or a sudo user) and run:

curl -fsSL https://get.zopanel.net | sudo bash

To pass options, put them after sudo bash -s --:

curl -fsSL https://get.zopanel.net | sudo bash -s -- --php 8.3,8.2 --admin-email you@example.com

The bootstrap script checks the OS and architecture, downloads the release manifest, verifies its Ed25519 signature and the binary's SHA-256 checksum, installs /usr/local/zopanel/bin/zopanel and then runs zopanel setup with your options.

What the installer does

The installer prints each step as it runs:

1. Checking system: supported OS and architecture, RAM, and no other web server or control panel.
2. Updating the system: apt update and a full upgrade of all packages, retried up to 3 times. It then turns on automatic security updates (unattended-upgrades) and handles the kernel (see below).
3. Installing packages: nginx, MariaDB, UFW, Fail2ban, quota tools, OpenSSH and the PHP repository (ondrej PPA on Ubuntu, packages.sury.org on Debian).
4. Installing PHP: the versions from --php, plus wp-cli.
5. Installing language runtimes: Node.js 22, Composer and Python by default.
6. Creating users and directories: the zopanel system user and the hosting groups.
7. Configuring nginx, MariaDB (buffer pool at 20% of RAM, swap on small servers) and SFTP (chrooted).
8. Configuring firewall and fail2ban: UFW with your SSH port, 80, 443 and 8888 open; Fail2ban for SSH and the panel login.
9. Enabling disk quotas and hiding processes between accounts.
10. Installing ZoPanel: configuration, a self-signed certificate, the first administrator, a Default package and the zopanel and zopanel-agent services.

Optional components and a license key are then queued for the panel, which installs or activates them in the background after it starts.

The installer is safe to run again: it repairs the configuration without touching your data, and keeps existing administrator accounts.

Kernel handling

ZoPanel can compress customers' idle memory in RAM on Linux 6.8 or newer. If the running kernel is older:

You can change your mind later: the Tuning page shows the command to install a newer kernel.

The restart question

When a new kernel or system libraries need a restart, the installer asks once, near the start:

A restart is needed to finish (new kernel or system libraries). Restart automatically
when the installation is done? [Y/n]

If you answer yes, the server restarts 15 seconds after the installer finishes and ZoPanel starts by itself. Queued components are installed after the restart. If you answer no, restart later with reboot to finish the update.

Installer options

Notes:

• --reboot and --no-reboot cannot be used together.
• If mail/webmail is chosen without a mail hostname, or dns without nameservers, that component is skipped with a message; install it later from Components.
• To keep secrets out of the process list, pass the license as ZOPANEL_LICENSE_KEY and a chosen admin password as ZOPANEL_ADMIN_PASSWORD instead of flags. Without a password, a random one is generated.
• Without a terminal, questions take their default answer.

Examples

A full server with mail and DNS:

curl -fsSL https://get.zopanel.net | sudo bash -s -- \
  --profile full \
  --hostname srv1.example.com \
  --admin-email admin@example.com \
  --mail-hostname mail.example.com \
  --nameservers ns1.example.com,ns2.example.com

Two PHP versions and a license:

curl -fsSL https://get.zopanel.net | sudo bash -s -- --php 8.3,8.2 --license ZP-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Unattended install (cloud-init)

Use --yes so nothing is asked, and decide the restart with --reboot or --no-reboot:

#cloud-config
runcmd:
  - curl -fsSL https://get.zopanel.net | ZOPANEL_LICENSE_KEY=ZP-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX bash -s -- --yes --reboot --admin-email admin@example.com

cloud-init already runs as root, so sudo is not needed. The generated admin password is printed in the installer output, which cloud-init writes to its log (usually /var/log/cloud-init-output.log). Reset it at any time with zopanel ctl reset-password admin.

When it finishes

The installer prints the address and the first login:

 ZoPanel is ready!

  URL:      https://203.0.113.10:8888
  Username: admin
  Password: ••••••••••••••••

  Save this password now — it is not stored anywhere in plain text.
  The certificate is self-signed until you set a panel domain in Settings.

Open the URL in your browser, accept the self-signed certificate warning once, and sign in. Then follow the Quick start.

If something goes wrong

• Run zopanel ctl doctor to check the server and see how to fix what is wrong.
• Lost the password: zopanel ctl reset-password admin.
• Locked out by the panel IP restriction: zopanel ctl allow-ip --clear.
• A failed step can be retried by running the installer again.