How To Install WordPress In 5 Easy Steps

In this post I’ll describe how to manually install WordPress on a webserver.

WordPress is one of the most popular blogging solutions. It’s even a great solution to build websites containing a CMS with it. One of the main reasons that WordPress is so popular is that it is so simple to use. Even the installation can be done in 5 easy steps!

Before we start, there are some things we need:

• WordPress software
• Web hosting

WordPress software

WordPress is open source software. This means that you can use and install WordPress for free.

Getting the WordPress software is very simple. Just go to www.wordpress.org to download the latest release.

Web hosting

There are a lot of web hosting companies. Some of them are expensive, others are rather cheap. Prices may depend on the different features and the support you get with them. Essential features are PHP and MySQL. You don’t need asp(x), .NET or MS SQL.

There are some web hosting companies who sell WordPress webhosting including a one-click installation. In other words, in this case you don’t have to care about the installation, you’re web hosting company will configure this for you. If you’re not comfortable with FTP, then this automatic WordPress installation might be for you.

How to install WordPress

Preparation

Before we can install WordPress, upload the downloaded files to your webhost via FTP. You can use  FileZilla of FireFTP for this.

Be sure to have your mysql account information with you.

Step 1: Configuration File

Go to the homepage of your blog.  The first page displays a message that tells you you need a configuration file. Click on the “Create a Configuration File” button to create the configuration file and to proceed the installation.

If you get a message that the configuration file could not be created, then make a copy of wp-config-sample.php and rename it to wp-config.php.

The next screen just tells you which information you will need to proceed. Normally, your web host provided this information. Click the “Let’s Go!”-button:

Step 2: Connection Details

In this screen, fill in your connection details:

• Database name: fill in the database name your web host gave you.
• User Name: fill in your MySQL username.
• Password: fill in your MySQL password.
• Database host: in most cases this is “localhost”. If not, check the info your web host gave you.
• Table prefix: the standard value is “wp_” and this will work fine. This means that when WordPress creates your tables, all your table names will start with “wp_”.But for security reasons, I advise you to change your table prefex to something else. For example: “cms_”.

After you provided the right details, click the “Submit”-button.

Step 3: Run the Install

In this step, all you have to do is click the “Run the install” button. WordPress will create all the tables needed. This process only takes a couple of seconds.

Step 4: Information Needed

In this screen you have to fill in some basic information of your new blog:

• Site title: fill in the title of your blog.
• Username: fill in the administrator username. For security reasons, do not use “admin” or “administrator”.
• Password, twice: fill in your password twice.
• Your e-mail: fill in the e-mailadress you want to use for your blog.
• Allow my site to appear in search engines like Google and Technorati: one of the great strenghts of WordPress is that search engines like Google will easily find your blog. So when you’re building a blog or a website, be sure to check this checkbox.

Click the “Install WordPress”-button…

Step 5: Success!

Now you can visit your (very basic) blog or you can log in to your website and create some content…

That’s it! That’s all you have to do to install WordPress!

What’s next?

Okay, after we installed WordPress, there is still some work to do! That’s why I wrote some articles to guide you through the next steps:

• 5+ Things To Do After Installing WordPress
• How To Turn WordPress Into A CMS In 4 Simple Steps
• My 20+ Favourite WordPress Plugins

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