At the time of this tutorial, the latest version of Joomla is the Joomla 3.8 series. The installation method hasn't changed yet and so the process will apply for this latest version and even for earlier versions of 2.5, 1.7, 3.4 and 3.5. In this tutorial you will learn how to manually install Joomla 3.8. The method described here shows how to run your installation directly on a live server. It will also be applicable to installing the software on localhost. If you run on localhost, you will later want to move your installation to a live server.
You will also want to read:
Basic Documentation on Joomla Website Administration
Basic Virtuemart Configuration Tutorial
Fixing Problems: Notices, Warnings and Errors on Your Joomla Website
Good Optimization Will Boost The Speed of Your Joomla Website
How Secure is Your Joomla Website
If you face any difficulties, you can always get help with the 24/7 customer support at Todhost.com. You can also get a free Joomla installation on your account if you have a running web hosting service on Todhost. All you will need to do is to submit a ticket to the customer support department requesting a free installation and that will be setup for you within minutes
Now, there are a few things to do before you upload and begin the process of installing your Joomla website.
The first is that you need to secure your Joomla installation file - be it a zipped file or a raw and extracted file. You need to keep it away from frontend view before it is properly setup. This is just a security precaution. Don't bother ask why. Just make sure your installation details or raw files are not available to visitors before you finish.
Also read:
How to Copy a Joomla Module and Install on Another Website
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How to Speed Up Your Joomla Website
How to manually update a Joomla website
The way to do this is that if you are running on a fresh and empty website and you want to install in the main directory, then begin by creating an index.htm file. You may want to edit your index file and type a text like site under construction so that visitors are not just presented with a blank page if anyone ever visits.
You may upload your Joomla install file (the .zip file) into the root folder or create another folder into which you will upload and install your Joomla website. Let us call the sub-folder "web". Creating a sub folder is more useful if you already have some content in your root directory and do not want to delete it. You will that install your Joomla website in the sub-folder and choose to move it to the root directory or leave it in your sub folder.
How to Install Joomla Manually (valid for Joomla all versions)
Installing Joomla 3.x manually is pretty easy. Just follow the steps below and you will successfully install your joomla 3.x website.
Step 1: Download your Joomla installation file. You can download directly from the official Joomla website of Joomla or from template clubs that offer high quality premium Joomla templates. Usually, this will be a zipped file ending in .zip. Make sure you leave it as a zipped file also and do not change the extension type to GZip or something else.
Step 2. Upload the Joomla installation file to your preferred directory. The good thing about Joomla is that moving the files from one directory to another does not affect its functionality. It only changes the file path and once you type the right path, your website starts working normally.
Step 3. Create a MySQL database. You can do this in cPanel. From cPanel- > Databases, you will find the MySQL Database icon and you just click that to create your databases.
You will be presented with an empty space where you can create your database.
Next, you will have to create a database user. You will need to use the same name you have used to create your database to create the user also so that you do not get confused about the database that linked to a particular user.
You will now need to add the user to your created database. Make sure you check all privileges as you add the user to your database.
Note: Save the database password you have used while creating the user. You will need it later. If you haven&'t saved it, then reset your database password and take not of the new password..
Also read:
How to move a Joomla website from localhost to a live server and secure it
How to set an article in a Joomla website to publish on a later date
Joomla Extensions Manager Tutorial
A Comprehensive Guide to Joomla Article Creation and Editing
Step 4. Return back to File manager in cPanel and extract your Joomla installation file. This will empty the content into your root folder, your sub folder or create a new folder inside your root or sub-folder. Whatever be the case, you can continue your installation by typing the right path. Since you have created a folder we named "web", you will just need to navigate to yourdomain/web and if your installation is in another folder, you will locate the folder and proceed.
After extracting, make sure you delete the uploaded zipped file. This is a security measure.
Another way to handle this stage is to extract your Joomla installation file on your local computer and upload all the content from this local folder to the directory on the server where your Joomla website will be stored. The easiest way to upload the files and the folders is through an FTP client. Detailed instructions about this are available in our FTP tutorial.
Step 5. Open the URL of the newly-uploaded Joomla script. If the content is uploaded in the main web directory, use http://yourdomainname.com. In case you have uploaded it in a subdirectory, open http://yourdomainname.com/sub-directory-name. Replace the domain and the directory names with the corresponding ones for your web site.
Step 6. The Joomla installation page will now be loaded:
There you can select the language for the installation. The language you select will be valid only during the installation. Once completed Joomla will be switched back to English.
It is recommended that you choose English
Step 7. On the next page, Joomla will check whether the system requirements are met on the server. If one or more are not met, a corresponding message will be shown. You can always contact your hosting company if you notice any issues with system requirements.
Also read:
Joomla Menu Manager Tutorial
My Joomla Website Displays a Blank Page, What Should I do
Why The Progressive Caching in Joomla Should Be Avoided
Joomla Pre-Installation Check
Step 8. After you make sure that all system requirements are met, proceed by clicking on the Next button from the top right menu. On the next page you should read and accept Joomla's license. All the requirements will be highlighted in green. If any shows in red, you will need to take steps to correct them or you contact your webhost to help you.
Joomla Public License
Again, click Next to continue.
Step 9. Here you have to enter the MySQL details for the new Joomla installation. Remember the details you saved during the stage of creating your database user, these are the details you need to enter at this stage. Again, note that the database password is the same with that which you created in the database section in step above.
Database Configuration
Step 10. Next, you can set your File Transfer Protocol (FTP) configuration. Recommended Keep the default settings and click Next to proceed.
FTP Configuration - just click next to continue from this page.
Step 11. On the next page the main Joomla configuration should be defined. Specify your site name, admin user, email and password. Please not that the password you use here has to be strong and conform with recommended password security advice at least a capital letter, special character and number and not less than 10 digits.
Main Configuration
Click on Next to proceed.
Important: It is recommended that you install sample data to help you easily understand the modules and follow easily, the editing of your new joomla website. Except you are a real Joomla pro, install sample data to make things easy. If you have purchased a fully loaded Joomla install pack with custom modules, running the sample data will install your Joomla website to the sample you saw and purchased.
Step 12. In the last page of the installation wizard you will receive a confirmation that Joomla has been successfully installed.
Installation Finished. In order to access your new Joomla web site you must delete the installation directory. This can by clicking the remove installation directory or by deleting or renaming it in your website file manager in cPanel..
Well done! Your Joomla website is now installed.
To manage your Joomla website, you will need to login to the backend or administrator section of your Joomla website. By default, you can login to the backend of your Joomla website using a url lie: yourdommainname.com/administrator. If you have installed your Joomla website in a sub directory, then you also need to include the directory path in the url.
Additional Security Tips After a Joomla Installation
Once you have successfully installed your Joomla website, you need to take steps to secure it. These are the immediate steps you need to take to protect your newly installed Joomla website:
Enable the cache system: From the global configuration section of your Joomla backend, you will need to enable the cache settings. Net, you will go to the plugin section and enable the system cache settings. Please select the conservative caching method. The progressive caching method is not recommended.
Depending on the nature of your website and how often you update, it will be nice to set a long caching period, up to 96 hours if you do not update daily or you update weely.
Change the default admin username: By default, your Joomla website admin username is "admin". You need to customize this username by adding a new user with global permission and deleting the default admin user.
Secure all folders and prevent unauthorized access to your website using IP address restrictions. In this tutorial, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to secure your entire Joomla website and its folders using IP address restrictions. This will secure your Joomla folders and directories including preventing unauthorized access to modules, plugins and prevent exploitation on your website.
This can be done by creating a .htaccess file in each of those folders and inserting the following code into them:
order deny,allow
deny from all
allow from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Enable Captcha-Recaptcha. You to do this in the global configuration section and in the plugin manager. If you have not registered your domain with Google to be able to configure the Captcha settings, you can do that with a link found in the captcha plugin settings within the Joomla plugin manager. It is easy to setup and you just need to enter your domain name to be able to generate the required keys.
Be careful with regular updates: Joomla will run regular updates but you have to be careful with running those updates. Many times when updating to a new version, the new versions will not be compatible with your plugins, modules and components. This could break your website or affect the functionality of your extensions. You will be sure that updating will not break your website functionality before going ahead.
These recommendations are almost a must for everyone who is serious about a safe Joomla experience.
