Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are new to FlyWP, or ran into something unexpected, you are in the right place. These are the questions we hear most often, answered plainly so you can get back to building.
What is FlyWP?
Stop worrying about servers and start focusing on your WordPress sites. FlyWP handles all the infrastructure work — provisioning a cloud server, installing the web stack, keeping it secure — so you never have to SSH in and configure things by hand. You get a clean dashboard where you manage sites, SSL (the encryption that makes your site load as https://), backups, and deployments, without needing to be a sysadmin.
What cloud providers are supported?
FlyWP connects directly to the major cloud infrastructure providers, so you can spin up a new server in minutes from your own account:
- DigitalOcean
- Vultr
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Akamai (Linode)
- Hetzner
You can also connect a custom server — any VPS (Virtual Private Server, a rented cloud machine you control) with SSH access and a clean Ubuntu installation.
Can I use my own server?
Yes. If you already have a server at a provider FlyWP does not list, you can connect it as a custom server. FlyWP will SSH in (connect securely over the network) and provision it automatically. Your server must meet these requirements:
- Running a fresh installation of Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS
- SSH access enabled
- No other software pre-installed — FlyWP needs a clean environment to set up the stack correctly
See Adding a Server for details.
What PHP versions are supported?
FlyWP supports multiple PHP versions, and you choose which one to use per site:
- PHP 7.4
- PHP 8.0
- PHP 8.1
- PHP 8.2
- PHP 8.3
You can switch PHP versions for any site at any time from the site’s settings page — no server work required.
How does SSL work?
Every site you add gets a free SSL/TLS certificate (the security credential that encrypts traffic between your visitors and your server) through Let’s Encrypt, a trusted free certificate authority. FlyWP requests the certificate, installs it, and handles automatic renewals — you never have to think about it expiring.
If you need a custom certificate — for example, an EV (Extended Validation) or wildcard certificate that covers all subdomains — you can upload it manually. See SSL Certificates for more information.
How do backups work?
FlyWP gives you peace of mind by letting you configure automated backups for each site individually. You decide:
- A backup schedule (daily, weekly, or a custom cron expression — a time-based schedule written in a shorthand format)
- A backup provider where FlyWP stores your files: Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces, Wasabi, Google Drive, Dropbox, or pCloud
- A retention policy — how many backups to keep before older ones are removed
You can also trigger on-demand backups at any time. When you need to restore, FlyWP handles the entire process with one click. See Backups for full details.
Can I manage multiple sites on one server?
Absolutely. FlyWP is designed to host multiple WordPress sites on a single server. Each site runs in its own isolated environment with its own PHP version, database, and configuration, so one site cannot interfere with another. How many sites a server can comfortably handle depends on the server’s resources (RAM and CPU) and the traffic each site receives.
What is the FlyWP Helper Plugin?
The FlyWP Helper Plugin is a lightweight WordPress plugin that FlyWP installs on each site automatically. It acts as the bridge between your WordPress installation and the FlyWP dashboard, enabling features like:
- One-click WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates from the FlyWP dashboard
- Site health monitoring
- Cache management integration
The plugin is required for full FlyWP functionality. Removing it will limit what the dashboard can do for that site.
How do I access my server via SSH?
SSH (Secure Shell) is an encrypted connection that lets you run commands directly on your server. FlyWP gives you two ways to access it:
- Browser-based terminal — open the SSH Terminal from the Manage tab on your server’s detail page. No software needed.
- Local terminal — copy the connection details from the Manage tab and connect from your own machine:
ssh fly@your-server-ip
For the most secure setup, add your SSH key (a cryptographic credential that replaces passwords) to the server from the SSH Keys tab. See Managing Services for more information.
What happens if I delete a server from FlyWP?
Deleting a server is a permanent action. Here is exactly what happens:
- FlyWP removes the server from your dashboard
- If FlyWP provisioned the server, it sends a destroy request to the cloud provider and the machine is terminated
- If you connected your own provider account, FlyWP still sends the destroy request on your behalf
- All sites, databases, and files on that server are permanently lost
Always back up your sites before deleting a server. This action cannot be undone, and all data on the server will be gone permanently.
Can I use Git for deployments?
Yes. FlyWP supports Git-based deployments from GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. Git is a version control system; a Git-based deployment means FlyWP pulls your latest code from a repository and applies it to your site automatically. Connect your Git provider in your Account Settings, then configure deployment settings on each site. You can deploy manually from the dashboard or set up automatic deployments triggered by a push to a specific branch. See Deployment for details.