UPDATE:
OpenPanel 0.2.1 is released on June 28. To install run: bash <(curl -sSL https://get.openpanel.co/)
Hey everyone,
I've got some news about the next version of OpenPanel, and I wanted to fill you in on the details at least a week before the release.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to push out an update for existing installs this time around. Building and testing updates is quite time-consuming, and with everything going on, I've had to prioritize keeping up with our development goals.
This means that your existing installations will not received new features and bug fixes.
I am willing to provide free VPS for everyone that wants to reinstall their server, to use for the transfer and keep sites or backups there.
What's New in OpenPanel Version 0.2.1:
This upcoming release represents a major upgrade of the panel backend. We've completely rewritten all the code and logic, introducing new paths and services. Our main focus has been on optimizing everything to the max, with security as our top priority, closely followed by performance improvements. Tasks like creating accounts, restarting services, and managing backups and restores are all much faster now. For example, account creation time has gone from an average of 48 seconds down to just 3 seconds. Installing the panel itself has dropped from 15 minutes to only 5.
Changes to the Technology Stack
- ConfigServer Firewall is now supported
- cPanel accounts can be imported into OpenPanel
- Lego is now used for SSL management
- OpenPanel Is now run as a docker container
- docker compose it now used for starting services
- git is used for upgrading OpenAdmin
- docker labels are used for Nginx proxy
New features in OpenAdmin
OpenAdmin Is now finally finished and includes all the necessary features for managging a server directly from the panel, without having to ssh into the server:
- Manage services and their configuration
- Change time zone, root password, ssh settings
- Access terminal
- Edit DNS zones, nameservers, domains..
- Create swap, clear cached ram, empty logs, edit cronjobs..
Changes to Configuration:
We've simplified how configuration works too. All configuration files are now stored in /etc/openpanel/. These files won't be overwritten during updates, so you can tweak your style, languages, and extensions however you like, and it'll stick.
Enhanced Stability and Performance:
We also conducted intensive pentesting (mainly DDoS attacks), trying to overwhelm a specific website on shared server with various types of requests to find all possible breaking points. We then dynamically optimized these based on the number of domains and requests, available server/user resources, and other factors. As a result, we now have a more stable server with lower TTFB (Time To First Byte) and average HTTP response times. You'll notice these improvements immediately after migrating a website from another panel to OpenPanel.
What This Means for You:
Because of all these changes happening so quickly, it's become really tricky to keep supporting older versions and ensuring smooth updates. Unfortunately, this means I can't continue providing bug fixes, new features, and updates for existing installs from version 0.2.0 onwards.
Supporting Your Transition:
I'm here to help everyone who wants to move over to the new version. For the next 30 days, I'm offering free VPS hosting to anyone who wants to upgrade their server. I can help with backing up your data, transferring it, reinstalling your original server with OpenPanel, and moving your data back.
Right now, we've got about 50 active installations. It's quicker for me to help each of you with this transition than to try to make everything work with these new features.
Thanks for understanding, and I'm here to answer any questions you have about moving forward with OpenPanel.