explaingit

nyr/openvpn-install

★ 20,530ShellAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 2/5MaintainedLicenseSetup · moderate

TLDR

A shell script that installs and configures an OpenVPN server on Linux in under a minute, letting you set up a private VPN for remote users.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Installs OpenVPN
      Configures VPN server
      Manages users
    Supported systems
      Ubuntu Debian
      AlmaLinux Rocky
      CentOS Fedora
    Key features
      One-minute setup
      Add remove users
      Uninstall option
    Use cases
      Remote access VPN
      Secure tunneling
      Private networks

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Set up a private VPN server for remote employees or team members to securely access a network from anywhere.

USE CASE 2

Create an encrypted tunnel to protect your internet traffic when connecting from public WiFi or untrusted networks.

USE CASE 3

Manage multiple VPN users by adding or removing access credentials without reinstalling the entire server.

Tech stack

ShellOpenVPNLinux

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires root/sudo access and a Linux server; script automates most work but you need to provision the host first.

Use freely for any purpose including commercial, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

In plain English

This repository provides a shell script that installs and configures an OpenVPN server on Linux. It supports Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS, and Fedora. OpenVPN is software that lets you run your own private VPN, a secure, encrypted tunnel that protects your internet traffic. The script is described as a "road warrior" installer, meaning it is designed for setting up a VPN that remote users can connect to from anywhere. The setup takes less than a minute and is designed to be usable even if you have never worked with OpenVPN before. After the initial installation, you can run the script again to add new users, remove existing users, or completely uninstall OpenVPN. The README also notes that a companion wireguard-install script is available for those who prefer the WireGuard VPN protocol.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I use this OpenVPN install script to set up a VPN server on Ubuntu?
Prompt 2
Show me how to add a new VPN user after running the openvpn-install script.
Prompt 3
What are the differences between using this OpenVPN script versus the WireGuard alternative?
Prompt 4
How do I completely remove OpenVPN using this script if I no longer need it?
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Generated 2026-05-18 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.