---
title: "First steps with pre-installed applications"
description: "Learn the first steps for each pre-installed application image on our Public Cloud platform."
url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/compute/apps-first-steps
lang: en
---
> For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt.

# First steps with pre-installed applications

**Learn the first steps for each pre-installed application image on our Public Cloud platform.**

OVHcloud offers Public Cloud customers pre-installed application images for quick and easy deployment of applications with just a few clicks.

 

## Requirements

- A [Public Cloud instance](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/compute/getting-started.md) in your OVHcloud account

 

## Instructions

### Common steps

#### Install your chosen pre-installed application

Install your chosen application on your Public Cloud instance using the [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/) / API or the OpenStack Horizon / API.

**Note:**

In the OVHcloud Control Panel, during the **Select an image** step of creating an instance, use the `Operating systems + Apps` tab to choose an application.

 

#### Application login details

Once the instance has been installed with your chosen pre-installed application, you can retrieve your login details only via the OVHcloud API.

1. Log in to the [API console here](https://api.us.ovhcloud.com/).
2. Then use this API call:
   `POST /cloud/project/{serviceName}/instance/{instanceId}/applicationAccess`

> Parameters
>
> - serviceName: This is your cloud project ID
> - instanceId: This is the UUID of your instance

 

#### Let's Encrypt SSL

This section only applies to WordPress, Drupal, Joomla!, and PrestaShop installations. It will not work for other installations.

1. You must create or edit two `A` records in the OVHcloud Control Panel which point to the IP address of your server. For example, if your domain name is "personaldomain.ovh" then you need to create `A` records for:

   personaldomain.ovh\
   [www.personaldomain.ovh](http://www.personaldomain.ovh)

   Contact the company with whom your domain is registered for assistance to set up your `A` records.

2. You may need to wait 24 hours before the two records propagate fully. You can always check it with [mxtoolbox](https://mxtoolbox.com/DnsLookup.aspx). If the IP for your domain is showing on mxtoolbox the same as your server's IP address then you can proceed to the next step.

3. SSH into your server with the CentOS user and execute the following commands to install Certbot.

   **Warning:**

   **NOTE:** Replace personaldomain.ovh in the commands with your own domain name.

   ```
   sudo -i
   dnf install -y epel-release
   dnf install -y certbot python3-certbot-apache mod_ssl
   echo "ServerName personaldomain.ovh;" >> /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
   systemctl restart httpd
   ```

4. Generate your SSL using Certbot (follow the on-screen instructions)

   ```
   certbot certonly -d personaldomain.ovh --webroot
   ```

   When asked about "Input the webroot," you need to enter something like "/var/www/wordpress". If you are installing Joomla!, you need to replace "wordpress" with "joomla".

   Now you need to get Certbot to also place it into the ssl.conf file. To trigger this, enter:

   ```
   certbot -d personaldomain.ovh --apache
   ```

   When prompted, answer the first prompt with "1" and the second prompt with "1".

   You should get the following output if your SSL has been generated:

   ```
   IMPORTANT NOTES:
    - Congratulations! Your certificate and chain have been saved at:
      /etc/letsencrypt/live/personaldomain.ovh/fullchain.pem
      Your key file has been saved at:
      /etc/letsencrypt/live/personaldomain.ovh/privkey.pem
      Your cert will expire on 2020-11-12. To obtain a new or tweaked
      version of this certificate in the future, simply run certbot again
      with the "certonly" option. To non-interactively renew *all* of
      your certificates, run "certbot renew"
   ```

 

### cPanel

This section will explain the first steps specifically for the cPanel pre-installed image. Steps marked with \* have a FAQ at the end of the steps.

1. Get your one-time login URL [following these steps](#application-login-details).

2. Click on the URL that is returned by the API.

   **Note:**

   If the link has expired already, please SSH into the instance using the CentOS user and execute the "whmlogin" command to generate a new one or just reinstall the instance.

3. Read and accept the terms of cPanel.
4. Provide your email and nameservers you wish to set on the server \*.
5. Set your root password which you will use the next time you log in to WHM \*.

No further steps are necessary to complete the first configuration of this application.

**Note:**

_Why set a root password?_\
WHM by default uses the root user for authentication and the one-time link allows access to complete the first setup and change the root password. Next time you log in to WHM you must use the root user and the password you have set.

_Where is my license for cPanel?_\
OVHcloud currently does not provide any licensing for Public Cloud servers other than Windows licensing. Customers must purchase a license from a third-party vendor for cPanel. For this, we recommend cPanel directly.

 

### Plesk

This section will explain the first steps specifically for the Plesk pre-installed image. Steps marked with \* have a FAQ at the end of the steps.

1. Get your application access URL by [following these steps](#application-login-details).
2. Click on the URL that is returned by the API.
3. Log in using the username and password returned by the API.
4. Once logged in, Plesk will ask you to provide:\
   a) Your contact information\
   b) A new password for the "admin" user which you will use for login on the Plesk panel\
   c) License information\*\
   d) Read and accept their end-user license agreement

No further steps are necessary to complete the first configuration of this application.

**Note:**

_Where is my license for Plesk?_\
OVHcloud at the moment does not provide any licensing for Public Cloud servers other than Windows licensing. Customers must purchase a license from a third-party vendor for Plesk. For this, we recommend Plesk directly.

 

### Docker

This section will explain the first steps specifically for the Docker pre-installed image.

1. SSH into the server using the CentOS user.
2. Check that Docker is working using the "docker run hello-world" command.

No further steps are necessary to complete the first configuration of this application.

 

## Go further

Browse all the [Compute guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/compute/landing-page-compute.md).

Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services.

Learn more about [Public Cloud Compute](https://us.ovhcloud.com/public-cloud/compute/) on the OVHcloud US website.

If you need training or technical assistance to implement our solutions, contact your sales representative or click on [this link](https://us.ovhcloud.com/professional-services/) to get a quote and ask our Professional Services experts for a custom analysis of your project.
