You can install WordPress using Softaculous, QuickInstall or manually. Softaculous and QuickInstall are automated scripts that allows you to install WordPress in simple clicks. Manual installation allows you to upload installation files and setup progressively.
Further reading:
How to Install WordPress Using Softaculous/QuickInstall
The procedure are pretty much the same with Softaculous or QuickInstall. However, because of the popularity of Softaculous, we will follow the process f installing via Softaculous. It is not much different from the installation process with QuickInstall.
How to Install WordPress via Softaculous/QuickInstall
WordPress is an open source content management system (CMS) that is available to install via the cPanel Softaculous Apps Installer for free. In this tutorial, for beginners and advanced users alike, our goal is to show you how, with a few clicks, you can have a clean and secured WordPress installation ready for publishing content.
However, before proceeding with the installation of WordPress, you will need a domain name and a reliable web hosting company that knows WordPress. From the quality of service, growth, and engineering, to sheer speed, security, and site performance,
To auto-install WordPress in your hosting account, you need to learn:
Access the Installation page in Softaculous
Before performing the actual installation you will need of course to access the Softaculous auto installer which for your convenience is available under your cPanel ? Software ? Softaculous/Quickinstall.
Once you access this feature you will need to either search for the WordPress platform via the Search box at the top right side of the page or locate it in the Blogs category located in the left categories view.
Note that you can also find WordPress in the popular applications slider in the main Softaculous/Quickinstall page. No matter which way you prefer in the end, you will always land on the installation tab of the application.
Click the Install Now button to initiate the Install.
Further reading:
Configure the Installation
Once you have accessed the setup interface, you will need to configure the pre-installation options. They are conveniently separated in a few sections we will review in the next lines of this tutorial.
- Choose Protocol - You should choose via which of the provided protocols your WordPress website will be available. If your site has SSL and HTTPS, then you can select https:// or https://www. as protocol.
- Choose Domain - The actual domain or subdomain via which your WordPress website will be available. The majority of users want to install WordPress in their domain's root directory, like domain.com. In that case, you need to make sure that you leave the "In Directory" field blank.
- In Directory - The name of the subdirectory your WordPress website should be located. Note that by default is set to "wp" and if you would like WordPress installed directly on your domain or subdomain you will need to leave this field blank
- Site Name - The actual name of your WordPress website. Not to worry, you can easily change it from your WordPress admin area after installation.
- Site Description - The content description for your website.
- Enable Multisite (WPMU) - By ticking this checkbox, you will make Softaculous deploy your WordPress platform with enabled WPMU (Multiuser) option.
- Admin Username - The actual username you would like your admin user to have.
- Admin Password - The password for the admin user. Please make sure that the password you are entering in this field will be at least Strong type.
- Admin Email - The actual email on which you will receive notifications regarding your website.
- Select Language - This entire section contains a single field related to the language which you would like your WordPress to use. The list of supported languages is quite big, and most probably you will find your native language there.
- Limit Login Attempts - increases the security on your WordPress website.
- Classic Editor - for users wanting the pre-Gutenberg editing options available in versions after 5.x.
- wpCentral - Manage Multiple WordPress - used for managing multiple WordPress blogs from the same dashboard.
- Database Name - The value of this option will be automatically assigned by Softaculous, and you should change it only if you have prepared, for example, a new database. If you are not quite sure how to add a database and user to it via your cPanel, you can check our cPanel database related tutorials.
- Table Prefix - If you have multiple WordPress installations in your hosting account, their databases will need different prefixes to stay separate from each other.
- Disable Update Notification Emails - This will disable the notifications Softaculous sends to you when an update for your website is available.
- Auto Upgrade - Enables the Softaculous auto installer to apply updates whenever such are available automatically if the checkbox is ticked.
- Auto Upgrade WordPress Plugins - Checking this option will allow automated plugins upgrade upon a platform version update.
- Auto Upgrade WordPress Themes - Ticking this checkbox will enable automatic themes upgrade when the installation script is updated.
- Automated Backups - This option is for configuring automatic backup service for your WordPress based website. The available backup options are related to the frequency they should be performed.
- Backup Rotation - The number of backups the automatic backup service should keep for your website.
Additionally, you can now select themes directly in Softaculous/Quickinstall when Installing WordPress, or skip this option and get the default Theme on your website.
Complete the Process
Once you finished configuring all these options, it is time for the installation to process. To do that, click on the Install button located at the bottom of the page.
After a brief waiting time, you will receive all of the required information needed to access your newly activated WordPress instance. Make sure you do not close the window during this process, until the progress bar reaches 100% otherwise, this may affect your WordPress installation.
Now you understand how to install WordPress application via Softaculous/Quickinstall!
Further reading:
How to Manually Install WordPress Using FTP
WordPress is, without a doubt, one of the best open source free platforms for building professional and stunningly beautiful websites. For the past few years, the platform became the most used application for a significant number of clients.
While we do offer Softaculous on all hosting plans, being able to install WordPress manually by using the official file package and an FTP client will be useful for any webmaster. WordPress is well-known for its ease of installation. Under most circumstances, installing WordPress is straightforward process and takes less than five minutes to complete.
To install WordPress manually, you will need to know:
How to Download and Extract the WordPress Files
The installation will require you to download the main installation package for the application. It is distributed and available for downloads on the official community WordPress website.
Once you press the Download WordPress button, you will be redirected to the download page of the platform where clicking on another similar button you will download the latest version of the installation archive.
Latest Version
For the sake of security matters, we always recommend downloading the latest stable version of WordPress. It will guarantee that your business is protected against the most current vulnerabilities on the "market" and also be patched for security holes regularly.
As soon as you have downloaded the installation archive, it is time for you to extract it and check the contents of the installation files.
After the extraction process, you will end up with a folder named wordpress. If you access that folder, you will be able to see all of the files required for the application to be correctly installed.
How to Upload the WordPress Files with FTP
What you need to do with these files is to upload them in the directory of your hosting account where your application should be. Of course, if you want your website to be accessed via your primary domain, you should put all of the files in the public_html directory.
Working with FTP
The upload method you can utilize is a simple FTP service. If you are not quite sure how to use an FTP service for uploading files, please check our FTP tutorial series.
Once you choose an FTP service and connect to the server, navigate to the folder, you have selected for your application. Then upload the files using your FTP client's options.
When all of the files get uploaded in the desired folder, it is time for the installation process to begin. To do that you must access the URL related to the folder in which the WordPress platform should be. In this particular case, that will be the public_html folder. So, to access the installation wizard, we will need to access the primary domain for our account – example.com.
Once accessed, via a browser of your choosing, the following will be displayed, where you will have to choose the desired language.
How to Create a MySQL Database
As soon as you access the installation wizard you will notice the message that there is no configuration file. It is ok and you have not done nothing wrong. This warning message is displayed where indeed there is no configuration file for the platform and it normal for the same to be displayed considering the fact that this is new installation.
In the next step, the wizard will inform you what type of requirements you will need to cover for the platform to work on the server. Of course, since WordPress is a PHP/MySQL driven application, you will need a database.
MySQL Database Wizard
If you are not sure how to create a new database and to assign a user to operate with it, please check our tutorial on "How to Create a Database via cPanel".
Once you have created a new database and you have assigned a user for the same, please click the "Let's go!" button for the installation process to continue.
How to Setup the WordPress configuration file
On the next page, you will need to fill all the database data fields for the platform to use a database.
- Database name - The name of your database.
- Database username - The name of the user you have granted privileges to operate with the database.
- Password - The password you have configured for the user you have added to the database.
- Database host - The hostname of the database server. If the MySQL server is hosted on the same server as your hosting account is, please use localhost. All our customers should use localhost for the value of this field unless the database is situated on a separate server.
- Table prefix - The prefix for the tables in the database of the application. Databases for different WordPress instances should have a different prefix. Also, for security reasons, it is highly recommended you change this prefix from the default "wp" one.
As soon as you fill all the required information please press the Submit button so the installation process can continue with the next step.
As you can see, the next step is to inform you that the data you have entered related to your database is correct, and the installation process can continue. Please click the Run the install button.
On the following page, you will need to fill the required fields for the completion of the installation process.
How to Create an Administrators Account
- Site Tittle - The title you would like your website to have.
- Username - The account name used for logging into the admin area of your WordPress platform.
- Password - The password used for logging into the admin account of your WordPress based website. Note that you should enter the password twice for a verification purpose.
- Your Email - The email account which the platform will use to send you reports and in some cases, add in plugins' configuration.
- Privacy - If you select this option, search engines which should index your website will be able to do so. Otherwise, the installer will add some extra lines in the robots.txt file of your account which will disable the indexing of your website by the search engines.
The next screen will inform you that the installation process has finished correctly. So you should now login into the admin area of your website by pressing the login button.
Congratulations! You have installed WordPress manually on your hosting account.
