Get started with HestiaCP

HestiaCP is a modern, actively maintained fork of VestaCP. It brings a refreshed interface, built-in file manager, mobile-friendly design, two-factor authentication (2FA), and many quality-of-life improvements.

Best of all: you no longer need a separate FTP client like FileZilla. Edit files, view logs, upload content — everything can be done directly in your browser.

• Official website
• Documentation

Quick start

1. Log in to the Hestia control panel on your VPS using the credentials provided in your Fornex dashboard.
2. Take a moment to explore the main dashboard — it gives you a clear overview of all key sections: users, web domains, mail, databases, DNS, backups, and more.

HestiaCP main dashboard

1. Creating additional users

By default, only the admin account (with full administrative privileges) exists. To add a new user (great for clients, team members, or separating projects):

1. Click + Add User button.
2. Fill in:
   • Username
   • Password
   • Contact email (login credentials will be sent here)
   • Preferred interface language
   • Role
3. Hit Save.

User management in Hestia

After creation, you can log in as the new user to verify everything works as expected and to confirm the permission boundaries.

2. Adding a website (web domain)

1. Go to the WEB section.
2. Click + Add Web Domain button.
3. Enter the domain name (e.g. example.com).
4. Enable mail support for this domain - optional.
5. Click Save.

Domain adding in Hestia

3. Creating a database

1. Navigate to the DB section.
2. Click + Add Database.
3. Specify:
   • Database name (automatically prefixed with your username, e.g. admin_mysite)
   • Database user
   • Password
   • Notification email (credentials will be sent here)
4. Click Save.

Database creating in Hestia

4. Setting up email

When adding a web domain, you can enable mail support right away. To add mail domains and accounts manually:

1. Go to the MAIL section.
2. Click + Add Mail Domain.
3. Enter:
   • Domain name
   • Desired mail client hostname
   • Enable DKIM (highly recommended for deliverability)
   • Optional: SMTP relay settings if you're using external delivery
4. Save.

Mail creating in Hestia

Extra features worth exploring

• File Manager — powerful browser-based editor and uploader; supports file permissions, compression, search, and direct code editing.
• SSL / Let's Encrypt — one-click free SSL certificates for all domains.
• Backups — configure automatic remote or local backups with retention policies.

Hestia strikes an excellent balance between simplicity for beginners and power for experienced admins — everything is just a few clicks away, yet advanced configuration files remain easily accessible.