4. First Steps After Setup — Configuring Your Panel

admin · Mar 7, 2026

First Steps After Setup — Configuring Your Panel

Congratulations on completing the Setup Wizard! Your Panelica server is now running and ready to be configured. This guide walks you through every step you need to take after your first login — from understanding the dashboard to creating your first domain, user, email account, and database.

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Completed the Installation Guide successfully
Completed the Setup Wizard (license activation, admin password, hostname)
Access to your panel at https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8443
Your ROOT credentials (set during the Setup Wizard)
A domain name (optional for initial exploration, required for hosting sites)

Important: All screenshots and descriptions in this guide reflect the default Panelica theme. If you have changed your color preset, your interface colors may differ, but the layout and functionality remain the same.

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1. Dashboard Overview

After logging in at https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8443, you will land on the Dashboard — the central hub of your Panelica panel. Here is what you will see and what each element means.

1.1 The Four Stat Cards

At the top of the dashboard, four summary cards give you an at-a-glance view of your server's hosted resources:

Card	Description	What It Shows
Domains	Total number of domains hosted on this server	Count of all active domains across all users
Databases	Total number of MySQL/PostgreSQL databases	Combined count of all databases created by all users
Emails	Total number of email accounts	All email accounts across all domains
Users	Total number of panel users	Count of all users (ADMIN, RESELLER, USER roles)

These cards update in real time. As a ROOT user, you see totals for the entire server. ADMIN users see only resources within their own hierarchy, and RESELLER users see only their own clients' resources.

1.2 Live Resource Charts

Below the stat cards, four real-time charts display your server's resource consumption:

CPU Usage — A line chart showing CPU utilization percentage over time. Hover over any point to see the exact percentage at that timestamp. Normal idle servers typically show 1-5%. Sustained usage above 80% indicates you may need to investigate heavy processes.
RAM Usage — Displays memory consumption in both percentage and absolute values (e.g., "4.2 GB / 16 GB"). The chart differentiates between used, cached, and free memory. Linux aggressively caches disk data in RAM, so seeing high "used" memory is often normal.
Disk Usage — Shows disk space consumption for the /opt/panelica/ partition. Displays used vs. total space. A warning indicator appears when usage exceeds 85%.
Network — Displays inbound (RX) and outbound (TX) bandwidth in real time, measured in Mbps. Useful for spotting traffic spikes or potential DDoS activity.

All charts auto-refresh every few seconds. You do not need to manually reload the page.

1.3 Quick Actions

The Quick Actions section provides one-click shortcuts to the most common tasks:

Create Domain — Opens the domain creation form directly
Create User — Opens the user creation form
Create Database — Opens the database creation form
File Manager — Opens the file browser
Web Terminal — Opens an in-browser SSH terminal (ROOT only)

These shortcuts save time by bypassing sidebar navigation.

1.4 Top Processes Table

At the bottom of the dashboard, the Top Processes table displays the most resource-intensive processes currently running on your server. Each row shows:

PID — Process ID
User — The system user running the process
CPU % — Current CPU usage of this process
RAM % — Current memory usage of this process
Command — The command/binary being executed

This table is invaluable for identifying runaway PHP scripts, heavy MySQL queries, or any process consuming excessive resources. ROOT users can see all processes; non-ROOT users see only their own.

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2. Panel Settings (ROOT Only)

Before creating domains and users, you should configure your panel's global settings. Navigate to Panel Settings from the left sidebar. This section is only accessible to ROOT users.

Note: ADMIN, RESELLER, and USER roles cannot access Panel Settings. If you do not see this menu item, you are not logged in as ROOT.

2.1 General Settings

Click the General tab within Panel Settings.

Admin Email — Enter the primary administrator email address. This email receives system notifications, SSL expiration warnings, and critical alerts. Example: [email protected]. This field is required.
Hostname — Your server's fully qualified domain name (FQDN). This was set during the Setup Wizard but can be changed here. Example: server1.yourdomain.com. The hostname is used for nameserver records (ns1.yourhostname.com, ns2.yourhostname.com), SSL certificates, and system identification.
Timezone — Select your server's timezone from the dropdown. This affects log timestamps, cron job scheduling, and backup schedules. The default is UTC. If your clients are primarily in a specific region, set this accordingly (e.g., Europe/Istanbul, America/New_York).

Click Save after making changes. Changes take effect immediately.

2.2 Security Settings

Click the Security tab.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Enforcement — When enabled, all users are required to set up TOTP-based 2FA on their next login. Options:
- Disabled — 2FA is optional for all users
- Required for Admins — Only ROOT and ADMIN users must enable 2FA
- Required for All — Every user must enable 2FA
Recommendation: At minimum, enable "Required for Admins" for production servers.
Password Policy — Configure minimum password requirements:
- Minimum Length — Default is 8 characters. Recommended: 10 or more.
- Require Uppercase — At least one uppercase letter
- Require Number — At least one digit
- Require Special Character — At least one symbol (!@#$%^&* etc.)
Session Settings — Control session behavior:
- Session Timeout — How long an inactive session remains valid. Default: 30 minutes. Range: 5-1440 minutes.
- Max Concurrent Sessions — Maximum number of simultaneous sessions per user. Default: 5.

2.3 Branding Settings

Click the Branding tab. This is where you customize the panel's appearance.

Panel Name — The name displayed in the header and browser tab. Default: "Panelica". You can change this to your own brand name (e.g., "MyHost Panel").
Logo Upload — Upload a custom logo image. Accepted formats: PNG, SVG, JPG. Recommended dimensions: 180x40 pixels for the sidebar logo. Two upload slots are available:
- Light Mode Logo — Used when the panel is in light theme
- Dark Mode Logo — Used when the panel is in dark theme
If only one logo is uploaded, it is used for both modes.
Favicon — Upload a custom favicon (the small icon in the browser tab). Recommended: 32x32 PNG or ICO format.
Color Theme Presets — Panelica ships with 42 built-in color presets. Each preset completely changes the panel's color scheme — sidebar, header, buttons, badges, cards, and more. To apply a preset, simply click on it. The change is instant and applies only to your user account (other users keep their own preference).

Available presets organized by category:

Default & Panel Themes:
- Panelica (default blue theme)
- Ubuntu (orange/aubergine)
- cPanel (blue/orange)
- Plesk (dark blue)
- DirectAdmin (blue/green)
- CloudLinux (dark teal)
- HestiaCP (purple)
- Webmin (navy)
- ISPConfig (blue)
Brand Themes:
- Binance (gold/black)
- GitHub (white/gray)
- Windows 11 (blue/white)
- Windows XP (classic blue/green)
- Windows 98 (retro gray)
- macOS Sonoma (gradient)
- macOS Sequoia (warm gradient)
Developer/IDE Themes:
- Dracula (purple/dark)
- Nord (arctic blue)
- Solarized (warm yellow/blue)
- One Dark (Atom editor theme)
- Catppuccin (pastel dark)
- Tokyo Night (deep purple)
- Gruvbox (warm retro)
- Material (Material Design)
- Monokai (vibrant dark)
- Synthwave (neon retro)
- Ayu Dark (muted dark)
- Carbon (IBM dark)
- Zinc (metallic gray)
Aesthetic Themes:
- Ocean (deep sea blue)
- Crimson (rich red)
- Forest (deep green)
- Midnight (deep dark)
- Sunset (warm orange)
- Arctic (cool blue/white)
- Rose (pink/magenta)
- Slate (gray tones)
Linux Distribution Themes:
- CentOS (blue/green)
- Debian (red/gray)
- Fedora (dark blue)
- Arch Linux (blue/dark)
- Linux Mint (green)
Each preset has both light and dark mode variants. Toggle between light and dark mode using the sun/moon icon in the top-right header area.

2.4 IP Addresses

Navigate to Panel Settings > IP Addresses.

Before you can create domains, you need to register your server's IP addresses in the panel. This tells Panelica which IPs are available for domain assignment.

Click Add IP Address
Enter the IPv4 address (e.g., 203.0.113.10)
Optionally enter an IPv6 address
Select the type:
- Shared — Multiple domains share this IP (most common, standard web hosting)
- Dedicated — Reserved for a single domain (needed for some SSL configurations or specific client requirements)
Add a note for your reference (optional, e.g., "Primary shared IP")
Click Save

If your server has multiple IP addresses, add all of them. When creating domains later, you will select which IP to assign. Most setups need only one shared IP.

Important: The IP addresses you add here must actually be configured on your server's network interface. Panelica does not configure network interfaces — it only manages which IPs are available for web hosting assignment.

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3. Creating Your First Domain

Now that your panel is configured, let us create your first domain. Navigate to Domains in the left sidebar, then click the Create Domain button (or use the Quick Action on the dashboard).

3.1 Domain Creation Form — Field by Field

Domain Name — Enter your domain name without http:// or www. Examples: example.com, mysite.org. The domain must be a valid, registered domain name. Subdomains are created separately after the main domain exists.
Owner — Select which panel user will own this domain. The dropdown lists all users with the USER role. Important: Only USER-role accounts can own domains. ROOT, ADMIN, and RESELLER accounts cannot have domains assigned to them directly — they manage domains through their users.
Web Server Configuration — Choose how the web server handles requests for this domain:
- Nginx + Apache (Recommended) — Nginx acts as a reverse proxy in front of Apache. Nginx serves static files (images, CSS, JS) directly for maximum performance, while Apache handles PHP and dynamic content. This is the default and recommended configuration. Apache runs on backend ports 7080 (HTTP) and 7081 (HTTPS), while Nginx faces the public on ports 80 and 443. This gives you the best of both worlds: Nginx's speed for static content and Apache's .htaccess support for PHP applications.
- Nginx Only — Nginx handles everything, including PHP via FastCGI (PHP-FPM). Best performance for modern applications that do not rely on .htaccess files. Note: WordPress, Joomla, and many PHP CMSs use .htaccess rules that must be manually converted to Nginx configuration if you choose this option.
- Apache Only — Apache handles all requests directly on ports 80/443. Use this only if you specifically need Apache features without Nginx in front.
PHP Version — Select the PHP version for this domain:
- PHP 8.1 — Long-term support, widest compatibility with older applications
- PHP 8.2 — Stable, good balance of features and compatibility
- PHP 8.3 — Current stable release, recommended for most applications
- PHP 8.4 — Latest release with newest features (property hooks, asymmetric visibility). Some older plugins may not yet be compatible.
Recommendation: Use PHP 8.3 unless your application specifically requires a different version. Each domain runs its own isolated PHP-FPM pool, so different domains can use different PHP versions safely.
SSL Certificate — Choose the SSL option:
- Let's Encrypt (Recommended) — A free, automatically-renewed SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. The certificate will be issued automatically once DNS for the domain points to your server. Certificates are valid for 90 days and auto-renew 30 days before expiration.
- Self-Signed — A self-signed certificate generated immediately. Useful for testing, but browsers will show a security warning to visitors. Not suitable for production websites.
- None — No SSL certificate. The domain will be HTTP-only. Not recommended for any public-facing website.
Force HTTPS — Toggle this ON (recommended) to automatically redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS. When enabled, visitors who type http://example.com will be redirected to https://example.com. This toggle only works once an SSL certificate is active.
Document Root — The directory where your website files are stored. Default: /home/{username}/{domain}/public_html. In most cases, you should leave this as the default. The directory is created automatically during domain provisioning.

3.2 Click "Create" and Wait

When you click Create, Panelica performs a 9-step provisioning process automatically:

Creates the directory structure (/home/{username}/{domain}/public_html)
Sets correct file permissions and ownership (the domain owner's system user)
Generates Nginx virtual host configuration
Generates Apache virtual host configuration (if Nginx+Apache mode)
Creates a per-user, per-version PHP-FPM pool configuration
Creates DNS zone file with default records
Issues SSL certificate (if Let's Encrypt selected and DNS is ready)
Reloads Nginx, Apache, and PHP-FPM services
Creates a default index.html placeholder page

This process typically completes in 5-15 seconds.

3.3 After Creation — Success Screen

After successful creation, you will see a summary screen with critical information:

DNS Instructions — The nameservers and IP address you need to configure at your domain registrar
Nameservers — ns1.yourhostname.com and ns2.yourhostname.com (based on your panel's hostname)
Server IP — The IP address assigned to this domain
Document Root — The full path where you should upload your website files

Important: Your domain will not work until DNS is configured correctly. See the next section for DNS setup options.

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4. DNS Configuration

After creating your domain in Panelica, you need to configure DNS so that visitors can reach your website. You have two options.

4.1 Option A: Point Nameservers to Your Server

This is the traditional approach. You configure your domain registrar to use Panelica's built-in DNS server (BIND).

Step 1: Log in to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare Registrar, Google Domains, etc.)

Step 2: Find the "Nameservers" or "DNS" settings for your domain

Step 3: Change nameservers to:

Code:

ns1.yourhostname.com
ns2.yourhostname.com

Replace yourhostname.com with the hostname you configured in Panel Settings. For example, if your hostname is server1.myhost.com, your nameservers would be ns1.server1.myhost.com and ns2.server1.myhost.com.

Step 4: You also need glue records (also called "child nameservers" or "host records") at your registrar. These tell the internet the IP address of your nameservers:

Code:

ns1.yourhostname.com -> YOUR_SERVER_IP
ns2.yourhostname.com -> YOUR_SERVER_IP

Step 5: Wait for DNS propagation. This can take 1-48 hours, though it typically completes within 1-4 hours.

4.2 Option B: Use Cloudflare (Built-in Integration)

Panelica has native Cloudflare integration, which provides DDoS protection, CDN caching, and faster DNS propagation.

Step 1: Add your Cloudflare API credentials in Panelica: navigate to Domains > [your domain] > Cloudflare tab

Step 2: Enter your Cloudflare Zone ID and API Token (or Global API Key + Email)

Step 3: Click Sync DNS — Panelica will automatically push the required DNS records to Cloudflare:

A record pointing to your server IP
MX record for email
SPF record for email authentication
DKIM record (if email is configured)
DMARC record (if email is configured)

Step 4: At your domain registrar, set nameservers to the Cloudflare nameservers provided in your Cloudflare dashboard (e.g., anna.ns.cloudflare.com, bob.ns.cloudflare.com)

4.3 Default DNS Records (Auto-Created)

When you create a domain, Panelica automatically creates these DNS records in its BIND zone:

Record Type	Name	Value	Purpose
A	@ (root domain)	YOUR_SERVER_IP	Points domain to server
A	www	YOUR_SERVER_IP	Points www subdomain to server
A	mail	YOUR_SERVER_IP	Points mail subdomain to server
MX	@ (root domain)	mail.yourdomain.com (priority 10)	Directs email to your server
TXT (SPF)	@	v=spf1 ip4:YOUR_IP -all	Email authentication
NS	@	ns1/ns2.yourhostname.com	Delegates DNS to your server

4.4 DNS Management Page

To manage DNS records for any domain, navigate to Domains > [your domain] > DNS tab. Here you can:

Add records — Click "Add Record" and select the type:
- A — Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address
- AAAA — Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address
- CNAME — Creates an alias pointing to another hostname
- MX — Specifies mail servers (with priority)
- TXT — Text records (used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, domain verification)
- SRV — Service records (used for SIP, XMPP, etc.)
- CAA — Certificate Authority Authorization (controls which CAs can issue SSL for your domain)
Edit records — Click the edit icon next to any record to modify it
Delete records — Click the delete icon to remove a record (with confirmation prompt)

Each record has these fields:

Name — The hostname (e.g., @ for root, www, mail, _dmarc)
TTL — Time to Live in seconds (default: 3600 = 1 hour). Lower values (300) mean faster propagation when changed; higher values (86400) reduce DNS query load
Value — The record data (IP address, hostname, text content, etc.)
Priority — Only for MX and SRV records (lower number = higher priority)

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5. SSL Certificates

SSL certificates encrypt the connection between your visitors' browsers and your server. Every production website should have SSL enabled.

5.1 Let's Encrypt — Automatic SSL

If you selected "Let's Encrypt" during domain creation, the certificate issuance process is automatic:

Panelica detects that DNS for the domain points to your server
An ACME HTTP-01 challenge is performed (Let's Encrypt verifies domain ownership)
The certificate is issued and installed automatically
Nginx/Apache are reloaded to use the new certificate
A renewal job is registered — the certificate auto-renews 30 days before expiration

Note: Let's Encrypt can only issue a certificate AFTER DNS is pointing to your server. If you just changed nameservers, wait for propagation (up to 48 hours, usually 1-4 hours) before the certificate can be issued.

If the automatic issuance did not occur (e.g., DNS was not ready at domain creation time), you can manually trigger it:

Navigate to Domains > [your domain]
Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
Go to the SSL tab
Click the Issue Certificate button
Wait 10-30 seconds for the process to complete
A green success message confirms the certificate is active

5.2 SSL Management Options

On the domain's SSL tab, you have several controls:

Issue / Reissue — Issue a new Let's Encrypt certificate or reissue the existing one (e.g., after adding subdomains that need to be covered)
Renew — Manually trigger a renewal (not usually needed, as auto-renewal handles this)
Force HTTPS — Toggle to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS. When enabled, an HTTP 301 redirect is added to the Nginx configuration.
HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) — When enabled, tells browsers to always use HTTPS for this domain, even if the user types http://. The HSTS header is sent with a max-age of 1 year. Warning: Only enable HSTS after you have confirmed SSL is working correctly. Once enabled and cached by browsers, your site MUST remain on HTTPS or visitors will see errors.
Upload Custom Certificate — If you have a commercial SSL certificate (e.g., from DigiCert, Sectigo, Comodo), you can upload it here:
- Certificate (PEM) — The certificate file content
- Private Key (PEM) — The private key file content
- CA Bundle (PEM) — The intermediate/chain certificate (optional but recommended)

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6. Creating Users

Panelica uses a hierarchical user system. Before your clients can create domains, databases, and email accounts, you need to create user accounts for them.

Navigate to Users in the left sidebar, then click Create User.

6.1 User Creation Form — Field by Field

Username — A unique identifier for this user. Rules:
- 3-32 characters
- Only lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores
- Must start with a letter
- Cannot be a reserved system username (root, admin, www-data, etc.)
This username is also used as the Linux system username, the home directory name (/home/{username}/), and the database prefix.
Email — The user's email address. Used for notifications and password reset. Must be a valid email format.
Password — Set the initial password. Must meet the password policy configured in Panel Settings. A password strength indicator shows real-time feedback.
Role — The user's permission level:
- USER — The most common role. Can manage their own domains, databases, emails, files, and FTP accounts. Cannot create other users. This is what you assign to end-clients/customers.
- RESELLER — Can create and manage USER accounts under them. Sees only their own users' resources. Useful for sub-hosting businesses. Resellers cannot own domains directly — they create USER accounts who own domains.
- ADMIN — Can create RESELLER and USER accounts. Sees only users within their own hierarchy (not all server users). Multiple ADMINs can coexist independently.
Important: Choose the role carefully — it cannot be changed after creation without recreating the user.
Plan — Assign a resource plan that defines limits:
- Maximum number of domains
- Maximum disk space (MB/GB)
- Maximum bandwidth (monthly)
- Maximum email accounts
- Maximum databases
- Maximum FTP accounts
- CPU and RAM limits (Cgroups v2 enforcement)
Plans are created in Plans from the sidebar. A default plan is created during setup.

6.2 What Happens When a User Is Created

When you click Create, Panelica automatically:

Creates a Linux system user with a unique UID/GID
Creates the home directory /home/{username}/ with 700 permissions
Sets up Cgroups v2 resource isolation (CPU, RAM, I/O, PID limits)
Creates the user's namespace directory for process isolation
Configures SSH jail (SFTP-only or full bash, depending on plan settings)
Registers the user in the panel database with the selected plan limits

Each user is fully isolated from other users at the OS level — they cannot see each other's files, processes, or network connections.

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7. Email Setup

Panelica includes a full email stack: Postfix (SMTP), Dovecot (IMAP/POP3), OpenDKIM (signing), and Roundcube (webmail). To set up email for a domain, that domain must already exist in Panelica.

7.1 Creating an Email Account

Navigate to Email > Accounts in the sidebar, then click Create Email Account.

Domain — Select the domain from the dropdown (e.g., example.com). Only domains that belong to users you manage will appear.
Username — The local part of the email address. For example, entering info creates [email protected]. Rules: lowercase letters, numbers, dots, hyphens, underscores.
Password — Set a strong password for the email account. This password is used for IMAP/POP3/SMTP authentication and Roundcube login.
Quota (MB) — Maximum mailbox size. Default: 1024 MB (1 GB). Set to 0 for unlimited (within the user's plan limits).

Click Create. The email account is ready immediately.

7.2 Email Client Configuration

After creating an email account, the account details page shows the connection settings:

Protocol	Server	Port	Encryption	Authentication
IMAP (incoming)	mail.yourdomain.com	993	SSL/TLS	Full email as username
POP3 (incoming)	mail.yourdomain.com	995	SSL/TLS	Full email as username
SMTP (outgoing)	mail.yourdomain.com	465	SSL/TLS	Full email as username
SMTP (outgoing alt)	mail.yourdomain.com	587	STARTTLS	Full email as username

Use the full email address (e.g., [email protected]) as both the username and the email address in your mail client (Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.).

7.3 Roundcube Webmail

Panelica includes Roundcube webmail, accessible at:

https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8443/roundcube/

Or via the panel: Navigate to Email > Webmail and click the Open Webmail button. ROOT users are auto-logged in; other users log in with their email credentials.

Roundcube provides:

Read, compose, reply, and forward emails
Address book / contacts
Folder management
HTML and plain text composition
Attachment support
Sieve filter management (for autoresponders/vacation replies)

7.4 Email Authentication (SPF / DKIM / DMARC)

Panelica automatically configures email authentication records to ensure your emails are not marked as spam:

SPF — Specifies which servers are allowed to send email for your domain. Auto-created as a TXT record: v=spf1 ip4:YOUR_SERVER_IP -all (hard fail — unauthorized servers are rejected)
DKIM — Cryptographically signs outgoing emails. Panelica uses OpenDKIM with 2048-bit RSA keys. The DKIM public key is auto-published as a DNS TXT record at default._domainkey.yourdomain.com
DMARC — Tells receiving servers what to do with emails that fail SPF/DKIM checks. Auto-created: v=DMARC1; p=quarantine with reporting addresses

These records are created automatically when you create a domain with email support. If you use Cloudflare (Option B from the DNS section), clicking Sync DNS pushes these records to Cloudflare automatically.

Important for email deliverability: You also need a PTR (reverse DNS) record for your server IP. This must be configured at your hosting/VPS provider (Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr, OVH, etc.) — it cannot be set in Panelica. The PTR record should point to mail.yourdomain.com.

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8. Database Creation

Panelica supports MySQL databases (PostgreSQL is used internally by the panel but is also available for user databases).

8.1 Creating a MySQL Database

Navigate to Databases > MySQL in the sidebar, then click Create Database.

Database Name — Enter a name for the database. The name is automatically prefixed with the owning user's username and an underscore. For example, if the user is john and you enter wordpress, the actual database name will be john_wordpress. This prefix ensures unique database names across users.
User — Select the owner (the panel user who will have access to this database). A MySQL database user is automatically created with the same prefixed name.

Click Create. The database and its associated MySQL user are created instantly.

8.2 Database Credentials

After creation, the database details page shows:

Database Name — The full prefixed name (e.g., john_wordpress)
Database User — Same as database name (auto-created)
Password — Auto-generated secure password (can be changed)
Host — localhost (for applications running on the same server)
Port — 3306

These are the credentials you enter into your application's configuration (e.g., wp-config.php for WordPress, .env for Laravel).

8.3 phpMyAdmin Access

Panelica includes phpMyAdmin for web-based database management:

ROOT users — Navigate to Databases > phpMyAdmin in the sidebar. You are automatically logged in with full access to all databases.
Other users — Access phpMyAdmin through the Databases section. You must log in with your database credentials and can only see your own databases.

phpMyAdmin is served through the panel's HTTPS port (8443) for security — it is not exposed on a separate port.

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9. File Manager

The built-in File Manager lets you manage website files directly from the browser. Navigate to Files > File Manager in the sidebar.

9.1 Interface Overview

The File Manager interface consists of:

Breadcrumb Navigation — At the top, showing your current path (e.g., /home/john/example.com/public_html/). Click any segment to navigate to that directory.
Toolbar — Action buttons: Upload, New Folder, New File, Copy, Move, Delete, Compress, Extract, Refresh
View Toggle — Switch between Grid view (thumbnails/icons) and List view (detailed table with size, permissions, date)
File/Folder Listing — The main area showing files and directories with icons, names, sizes, and modification dates

9.2 Key Operations

Upload Files — Click the Upload button or simply drag and drop files from your computer directly onto the file listing area. Multiple files can be uploaded simultaneously. There is a progress indicator for each file.
Download Files — Right-click a file and select Download, or select files and click the Download button in the toolbar. Multiple files are downloaded as a ZIP archive.
Create Folder — Click New Folder, enter the folder name, and click Create. The folder is created in the current directory.
Create File — Click New File, enter the filename (e.g., index.php), and click Create. The file is created empty and opened in the code editor.
Code Editor (Monaco) — Double-click any text file to open it in the built-in code editor. This is the same editor engine used in Visual Studio Code, providing:
- Syntax highlighting for PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, XML, Python, Ruby, Shell, SQL, YAML, and more
- Line numbers
- Code folding
- Find and replace (Ctrl+H)
- Multiple cursors (Alt+Click)
- Auto-indentation
- Bracket matching
Click Save (or Ctrl+S) to save changes. Click Close to return to the file listing.
Permissions (chmod/chown) — Right-click a file or folder and select Permissions. You can set:
- Owner/Group/Others read, write, execute checkboxes
- Numeric permissions field (e.g., 755, 644)
- "Apply to subdirectories" option for recursive permission changes
Common permissions: Files: 644, Directories: 755, Sensitive config: 600
Compress — Select files/folders, click Compress, choose the format (ZIP, TAR.GZ, TAR.BZ2), enter the archive name, and click Create. Useful for creating backups or preparing downloads.
Extract — Select a compressed archive (ZIP, TAR.GZ, TAR.BZ2, RAR), click Extract, choose the destination directory, and click Extract. Useful for deploying uploaded application archives.

Permission note: ROOT users can browse any user's files. Non-ROOT users can only browse their own home directory and its subdirectories — they cannot navigate outside their home.

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10. Other Useful Menu Items

Here is a brief overview of other important features you will find in the sidebar.

10.1 Security

Firewall — Manage nftables firewall rules. View, add, edit, or delete rules. Pre-configured rules allow essential ports (SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, panel). You can block specific IPs, ports, or port ranges.
IP Blocking — Quick interface to block/unblock specific IP addresses or CIDR ranges. Blocked IPs are immediately denied access to all server services.
ModSecurity — Web Application Firewall (WAF) powered by OWASP Core Rule Set. Enable/disable per domain. View and manage triggered rules. Whitelist false positives by rule ID.
Fail2ban — Automatic brute-force protection. Monitors log files and temporarily bans IPs that show malicious behavior (failed SSH logins, HTTP auth failures, etc.). View banned IPs, unban manually.

10.2 Backup

Server Backup — Full server backup including all configurations, databases, and user data. Configure backup schedules (daily, weekly, monthly) and retention periods.
Domain Backup — Per-domain backup: website files, databases, email data, and configuration. Restore individual domains without affecting others.
Backup Schedules — Automate backups with cron-based scheduling. Set time, frequency, and retention count.

10.3 Tools

Web Terminal — A full SSH terminal in your browser (powered by xterm.js). ROOT users get a root shell; other users get their isolated shell. Supports color, tab completion, and interactive commands.
Cron Jobs — Create and manage scheduled tasks. User-friendly interface with predefined schedules (every minute, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly) or custom cron expressions. Each user manages their own cron jobs.
Process Manager — View all running processes with CPU/RAM usage. ROOT users can see and manage all processes; non-ROOT users see only their own. Kill or send signals to processes.

10.4 Monitoring

Real-Time Metrics — Detailed CPU, RAM, disk I/O, and network charts with historical data.
Log Viewer — Browse and search server logs (Nginx access/error, Apache access/error, PHP-FPM, backend, mail, DNS) directly from the panel. Supports real-time tail mode and full-text search.
Monitoring Dashboards — Built-in monitoring dashboards accessible via the panel. Pre-configured views for system metrics, service status, and resource usage trends.

10.5 Applications

WordPress Installer — One-click WordPress installation. Select a domain, enter the site title, admin username, and password. Panelica creates the database, downloads WordPress, configures wp-config.php, and runs the installation — all automatically.
Docker — Manage Docker containers directly from the panel. Create containers from templates (OpenVPN, code-server, etc.), manage volumes, networks, and view container logs. Full RBAC support — each user can only see their own containers.

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Summary — Your First 30 Minutes

Here is a quick checklist of what to do in your first session:

Log in at https://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8443 with ROOT credentials
Configure Panel Settings — Set admin email, hostname, timezone, security policies, and branding
Add IP Addresses — Register your server's IP(s) for domain assignment
Create a Plan — Define resource limits for your first user (or use the default plan)
Create a User — Create a USER-role account for your first client (or yourself)
Create a Domain — Add your first domain with the desired web server and PHP configuration
Configure DNS — Point nameservers to your server or set up Cloudflare integration
Verify SSL — Ensure Let's Encrypt issued a certificate (may need to wait for DNS propagation)
Upload your site — Use the File Manager, SFTP, or SSH to upload your website files
Test everything — Visit your domain in a browser and verify it loads correctly with HTTPS

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What's Next?

For hosting providers: Create RESELLER accounts for your sub-hosts, create plans with appropriate resource limits, and let them manage their own clients.
For developers: Explore the Web Terminal for command-line access, set up cron jobs for automated tasks, and use the Docker module for containerized applications.
For security: Enable 2FA for all admin accounts, configure Fail2ban thresholds, enable ModSecurity on all domains, and set up regular backup schedules.
For email: Configure PTR records at your VPS provider, test email deliverability, and set up autoresponders via Sieve filters.

Related guides:

Server Requirements — Hardware and software prerequisites
Installation Guide — Step-by-step installation
Setup Wizard — First-time configuration wizard

Questions? Ask in General Discussion. Found a bug? Report it in Bug Reports.

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4. First Steps After Setup — Configuring Your Panel

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