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How to host a website, WordPress or web app on ESN Web

Get your site live on the ESN Web plan: choose Nginx + PHP, WordPress, a Node.js app or a Python app at checkout, upload into the right folder and press Start.

The ESN Web plan (1 GB RAM, 50% CPU, 8 GB disk) runs one website or web app. When you buy it, you choose what it's set up as:

  • Website (Nginx + PHP) for HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP sites.
  • WordPress, installed for you.
  • Node.js app (for example Express).
  • Python app (for example Flask).

Your site is reached at the address shown on the server's page in the panel (IP and port).

Website (Nginx + PHP)

  1. Open the server and go to Files.
  2. Open the webroot folder. That's the folder visitors see.
  3. Upload your site there, with your home page named index.html or index.php. See Uploading files for big uploads and SFTP.
  4. Press Start and open the address from the panel in your browser.

Prefer Git? Put your repository in Startup → Git Repo Address (and Git Branch). For a private repo, also fill Git Username and Git Access Token.

WordPress

  1. Press Start after the install finishes.
  2. Open the address from the panel. WordPress shows its setup page: pick the site title, your admin username and a strong password.
  3. Sign in at /wp-admin on the same address to add themes, plugins and posts.

WordPress on ESN uses a SQLite database stored on your server (outside webroot), so you don't need a separate database. Keep a backup before big plugin or theme changes.

Node.js app

  1. Upload your app, including package.json, in Files.
  2. In Startup, set Main file to your entry file (default index.js).
  3. Make your app listen on the server's port: in Node, use process.env.SERVER_PORT and listen on 0.0.0.0.
  4. Press Start.

Python app

  1. Upload your app and a requirements.txt. They're installed on start.
  2. In Startup, set Entry File to your main file. ESN sets it to app.py for you.
  3. Listen on 0.0.0.0 and the port from the SERVER_PORT environment variable, for example app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=int(os.environ["SERVER_PORT"])).
  4. Press Start.
Using your own domain? Ask in the ESN Hosting Discord before you change any DNS, so staff can tell you what works for your server.

Still stuck? Use the live chat on the panel or ask in the ESN Hosting Discord. Last updated October 27, 2026.