Starting your online journey with WordPress is an exciting step. While many hosting providers offer one-click installations, understanding the manual process for how to install WordPress on your hosting account provides greater control and valuable insight into how WordPress works under the hood. This guide will walk you through each step to get your WordPress site up and running.
Manual installation allows you to learn about the core components WordPress interacts with, such as databases and server files. It’s a fundamental skill for anyone serious about web development or managing their own hosting environment. Before you begin, you’ll need a few things:
- A domain name
- A web hosting account (with support for PHP and MySQL)
- An FTP client (like FileZilla) or access to your hosting control panel’s File Manager
- A text editor (like Notepad++, VS Code, or Sublime Text)
Let’s dive into the steps to manually install WordPress on your hosting account.
Step 1: Download the Latest WordPress Version
The very first step is to get the WordPress software itself. Always download it from the official source to ensure you have the latest, most secure version.
Visit the official WordPress.org website and go to the download page (https://wordpress.org/download/). Click the download button to get the latest .zip file. Save this file to your computer. Once downloaded, you’ll need to extract the contents of the zip file to a folder on your local machine. This folder contains all the WordPress core files and folders you’ll need for the installation.
Step 2: Upload WordPress Files to Your Hosting Account
Now that you have the WordPress files, you need to upload them to your web server. This is where your website’s files will reside and be accessed by visitors. You can do this using an FTP/SFTP client or your hosting control panel’s File Manager.
Connect to your hosting account using your chosen method. You’ll need your FTP/SFTP credentials (hostname, username, password, port) which are typically provided by your hosting provider. Navigate to the root directory of your website, usually named `public_html`, `www`, or `htdocs`. This is the folder your domain name points to.
[Hint: Insert image/video showing connecting via FTP client and navigating to public_html]
Upload all the files and folders that you extracted from the WordPress zip file into this root directory. Ensure that you upload the *contents* of the WordPress folder, not the folder itself, if you want WordPress to be accessible directly at your domain (e.g., `yourdomain.com`). If you upload the folder, your site might be at `yourdomain.com/wordpress/`.
The upload process can take some time depending on your internet connection and the number of files.
Step 3: Create a MySQL Database and User
WordPress needs a database to store all your website’s content, settings, users, and much more. You need to create a new database and a database user on your hosting account and grant that user permissions to manage the database.
Log in to your hosting account’s control panel, such as cPanel or Plesk. Look for a section related to databases, specifically “MySQL Databases”.
[Hint: Insert image/video showing the MySQL Databases section in cPanel]
Create a new database, giving it a memorable name. Then, create a new database user with a strong password. Finally, add the newly created user to the database you just created and grant that user *all privileges*. Make sure to note down the exact database name, username, password, and the database host (which is often `localhost`, but check your hosting provider’s documentation if unsure). This information is crucial for the next step.
Creating a database is a fundamental step for many web applications. You can learn more about this process specifically in control panels like cPanel by reading guides on creating a database with cPanel.
Step 4: Configure the wp-config.php File
The `wp-config.php` file tells WordPress how to connect to your database and contains other important configuration settings. In the files you uploaded in Step 2, you’ll find a file named `wp-config-sample.php`. You need to rename this file to `wp-config.php`.
You can rename the file using your FTP client or File Manager. Once renamed, open `wp-config.php` using a text editor. Find the section that looks like this:
define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name_here' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'username_here' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'password_here' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );Replace `’database_name_here’`, `’username_here’`, and `’password_here’` with the database name, username, and password you created in Step 3. If your database host is not `localhost`, replace `’localhost’` with the correct host name provided by your hosting provider.
[Hint: Insert image/video showing editing the wp-config.php file with database details]
Save the changes to the `wp-config.php` file and upload the modified file back to your server, replacing the existing one if you downloaded it to edit.
Step 5: Run the WordPress Installation Script
With the files uploaded and the database configured, you’re ready to run the famous five-minute WordPress installation script. Open your web browser and go to your website’s URL (e.g., `yourdomain.com`). If you uploaded WordPress to a subdirectory, go to `yourdomain.com/subdirectory/`.
WordPress will detect that it needs to be installed and will redirect you to the setup page. First, you’ll select your language. Then, you’ll be asked to provide details about your site:
- Site Title: The name of your website.
- Username: The username you will use to log in to your WordPress admin area. Choose something secure and not “admin”.
- Password: Create a strong, unique password.
- Your Email: Enter your email address.
- Search Engine Visibility: You can check this box if you don’t want search engines to index your site immediately (useful for development, uncheck it when ready to go live).
[Hint: Insert image/video showing the WordPress setup screen asking for site details]
Fill in all the required information and click the “Install WordPress” button. WordPress will run the installation script, connect to your database, and set up your site.
Once the installation is complete, you’ll see a success message and a button to log in. Click the login button and enter the username and password you just created.
Congratulations!
You have successfully completed the manual installation of WordPress on your hosting account. You will now be in the WordPress dashboard, ready to start customizing your site, installing themes and plugins, and creating content.
While the one-click installer is convenient, performing a manual install WordPress on hosting account gives you a deeper understanding of the process. This knowledge can be invaluable for troubleshooting and managing your site in the long run.
Remember to keep your WordPress installation, themes, and plugins updated to ensure security and optimal performance.
