IIS: Web Server on Windows Server

# Install IIS with common features
Install-WindowsFeature -Name Web-Server -IncludeManagementTools

# Or with additional features (ASP.NET 4.8, URL rewrite modules)
Install-WindowsFeature -Name `
  Web-Server, `
  Web-Common-Http, `
  Web-Static-Content, `
  Web-Default-Doc, `
  Web-Dir-Browsing, `
  Web-Http-Errors, `
  Web-Http-Logging, `
  Web-Asp-Net45, `
  Web-Net-Ext45, `
  Web-ISAPI-Ext, `
  Web-ISAPI-Filter, `
  Web-Mgmt-Console, `
  Web-Mgmt-Tools `
  -IncludeManagementTools

# Check IIS is running
Get-Service W3SVC
# Open browser on http://localhost: you should see IIS default page

# Create site directory
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "C:\inetpub\mysite"

# Create dedicated Application Pool
New-WebAppPool -Name "MySitePool"

# Create site
New-Website -Name "MySite" `
  -PhysicalPath "C:\inetpub\mysite" `
  -ApplicationPool "MySitePool" `
  -Port 80 `
  -HostHeader "mysite.com"

# IIS account (IIS_IUSRS) needs read access
icacls "C:\inetpub\mysite" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)R" /T
# For write (e.g. WordPress):
icacls "C:\inetpub\mysite" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)M" /T

# Download win-acme (Let's Encrypt client for IIS)
# https://github.com/win-acme/win-acme/releases
# Extract to C:\win-acme

cd C:\win-acme
.\wacs.exe
# Follow wizard: choose IIS site → automatic renewal via Task Scheduler

# 1. Download PHP for Windows (Non-Thread Safe) from https://windows.php.net/download
# 2. Extract to C:\PHP

# 3. Install PHP Manager module for IIS Manager (GUI)
# https://www.iis.net/downloads/community/2018/05/php-manager-150-for-iis-10

# 4. Register PHP via PowerShell
$phpPath = "C:\PHP\php-cgi.exe"
& "$env:SystemRoot\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe" set config `
  /section:system.webServer/fastCGI `
  /+[fullPath="$phpPath"]

& "$env:SystemRoot\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe" set config `
  /section:system.webServer/handlers `
  /+[name="PHP_via_FastCGI",path="*.php",verb="*",modules="FastCgiModule",scriptProcessor="$phpPath",resourceType="Either"]

'<?php phpinfo(); ?>' | Out-File "C:\inetpub\mysite\info.php" -Encoding utf8
# Visit http://mysite.com/info.php

# Download and install URL Rewrite from:
# https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite
# Then restart IIS

# Verify installation
Get-WebGlobalModule -Name "RewriteModule"

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
  <system.webServer>
    <rewrite>
      <rules>
        <rule name="WordPress" patternSyntax="Wildcard">
          <match url="*" />
          <conditions>
            <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsFile" negate="true" />
            <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsDirectory" negate="true" />
          </conditions>
          <action type="Rewrite" url="index.php" />
        </rule>
      </rules>
    </rewrite>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

# List all sites
Get-Website

# Start/stop site
Start-Website -Name "MySite"
Stop-Website -Name "MySite"

# Restart IIS completely
iisreset

# Only restart worker processes (faster)
iisreset /restart

# List Application Pools
Get-WebConfiguration system.applicationHost/applicationPools/add | Select name, state

# Recycle pool (useful after deploy)
Restart-WebAppPool -Name "MySitePool"

# View access logs
Get-Content "C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles\W3SVC1\u_ex*.log" -Tail 50

# Increase pool idle timeout (default 20 min: causes cold start)
Set-ItemProperty "IIS:\AppPools\MySitePool" -Name processModel.idleTimeout -Value "00:00:00"

# Enable gzip compression
& "$env:SystemRoot\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe" set config `
  -section:httpCompression -[name='gzip'].doStaticCompression:true

# Enable static file caching
Set-WebConfigurationProperty -filter "system.webServer/staticContent" `
  -name "." -value @{clientCache=@{cacheControlMode="UseMaxAge";cacheControlMaxAge="7.00:00:00"}}

# Check permissions
icacls "C:\inetpub\mysite"
# Add IIS_IUSRS if missing
icacls "C:\inetpub\mysite" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)R"

# Enable detailed error messages (dev only!)
Set-WebConfigurationProperty -filter "system.web/customErrors" `
  -name "mode" -value "Off" -PSPath "IIS:\Sites\MySite"

# Or check Windows Event Log for ASP.NET errors
Get-EventLog -LogName Application -Source "ASP.NET*" -Newest 20

# Find what uses port 80
netstat -ano | findstr :80
# Then find PID in Task Manager