For web hosting providers, having an effective hosting control panel is crucial for efficiently managing servers and websites. Cyberpanel aims to be a robust open source alternative to commercial control panels like cPanel and Plesk. After testing it out, I believe Cyberpanel delivers on its promises in many aspects.
Installation and Setup
One major plus is that Cyberpanel is fairly easy to install on Linux. I was able to get it up and running on Ubuntu in under 30 minutes thanks to the detailed documentation. The responsive web-based UI is also well designed and intuitive. Initial setup requires creating administrator credentials and configuring your domains.
Managing Domains and Accounts
Cyberpanel makes it simple to add and manage domains. There are options to add email accounts, databases, FTP accounts and more for each domain. The domain creation wizard streamlines the process. User accounts can also be created for each domain with customizable permission levels.
Key Features and Tools
Some of the standout features include integrated PointDNS for managing DNS settings, built-in LiteSpeed web server, access to all Apache/PHP configurations, and integration with Let’s Encrypt for free SSL certificates. There are also lots of handy tools like website and database backups, security advisories, resource usage charts and more.
Ease of Use
Most common web hosting tasks like creating websites, managing SSL certificates, backups, emails etc. can be easily done from the intuitive Cyberpanel UI. For more advanced users, there is also SSH access for deeper server configuration. Detailed documentation and an active community forum also help.
Drawbacks
No solution is perfect though, and Cyberpanel has some downsides. It can be resource intensive on smaller servers. Some less common web server components need to be manually installed. And conflicting apps can cause issues that may require troubleshooting.
Verdict
Overall, Cyberpanel provides an excellent open source alternative to commercial hosting panels packed with powerful tools and features. For private server or VPS owners looking to self-host client websites, Cyberpanel is a great option that can handle most hosting management needs seamlessly. Just be ready to get your hands dirty occasionally.