Installing extra OS packages
TurboStack manages your servers for you, so you do not have root access to run apt install yourself.
To add extra operating-system packages - for example an extra PHP extension - you declare them in
your host configuration with os_extra_packages, and TurboStack installs them for you. Because
the list lives in your configuration, the same packages are reproduced when you set up similar
servers later.
Warning
This is an advanced feature. Do not use os_extra_packages to install packages for services
that TurboStack already manages - such as MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch,
Redis, Varnish, PHP or the web server. Installing your own versions of these conflicts with the
managed setup and can break the host. Use it only for genuinely extra packages (for example a small
tool or a PHP extension). If you are not sure exactly what you need here, contact
support first - they will set it up safely with you.
Where to set it
You can set os_extra_packages in two ways:
-
Advanced tab - open the host, go to Advanced > Operating System > OS Extra Packages, and pick from the common packages offered. See Advanced settings.
-
Source (YAML) view - for any package that is not in the list, add it directly as YAML. See The Source (YAML) view.
os_extra_packages is a list (it must be an array, not a single value). It can be set on a host,
or on a group to apply to every member host.
os_extra_packages:
- aclFind the exact package name
Packages are installed with Debian's apt package manager, so you need the exact apt package name. Connect over SSH and search for it (this also shows whether it is already installed):
apt search <packagename>For example, to find PHP extension packages for PHP 8.2:
apt search php8.2Copy the exact names into your configuration:
os_extra_packages:
- php8.2-amqp
- php8.2-ssh2
- php8.4-domInstall packages for your active PHP version
If your configuration defines php_main_version, you can reference it so the right PHP packages are
installed automatically when you change versions:
php_main_version: "8.2"
os_extra_packages:
- php-amqp
- php-ssh2Apply and verify
-
Save & Publish the host. TurboStack installs the listed packages (apt, kept at "present") while applying the configuration - see Publishing changes.
-
Verify over SSH that a package is installed:
dpkg -l <packagename>
Tip
Keep os_extra_packages as small as possible. Every extra package adds to the host's maintenance
and security surface. Add only what your application needs.