How to Install WordPress: Step-by-Step Guide

This guide will walk you through manually installing WordPress on a web server. It’s ideal if you want full control over your site setup.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• A domain name (e.g., example.com)

• A web hosting account that supports PHP and MySQL

• Access to your hosting control panel (like cPanel) or FTP

• PHP 7.4 or higher

• MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+

• HTTPS support (SSL certificate)

• A MySQL database and user ready (you can create this during installation)

Step 1: Download WordPress

1. Go to the official WordPress website: https://wordpress.org/download/

2. Click “Download WordPress” and save the .zip file to your computer.

3. Extract the .zip file to get the WordPress folder.

Step 2: Upload WordPress to Your Web Server

Option A: Using cPanel File Manager

1. Log into your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel).

2. Open the File Manager and navigate to the root directory (often public_html).

3. Upload the extracted WordPress files.

4. If you uploaded the .zip file, extract it after uploading.

Option B: Using FTP

1. Use an FTP client like FileZilla.

2. Connect to your web server using your FTP credentials.

3. Upload the contents of the WordPress folder to your desired directory (public_html for the main domain).

Step 3: Create a MySQL Database and User

1. Log into cPanel and go to “MySQL Databases”.

2. Create a new database (e.g., my_wp_db).

3. Create a new MySQL user and assign a strong password.

4. Add the user to the database and grant it all privileges.

Step 4: Configure wp-config.php

1. In the WordPress folder, find the file named wp-config-sample.php.

2. Rename it to wp-config.php.

3. Open it in a text editor and update the following lines with your database information:

4. Save the file and upload it to your server if working locally.

Step 5: Run the WordPress Installer

1. Open your web browser and navigate to your domain (e.g., https://example.com).

2. You should see the WordPress installation screen.

3. Choose your language and click “Continue”.

4. Fill in the site information:

   • Site title

   • Username

   • Password

   • Email address

5. Click “Install WordPress”.

Step 6: Log In to WordPress

Once the installation completes:

1. Go to https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin

2. Log in with the username and password you just created.

Optional: Secure and Optimize Your Site

• Set up an SSL certificate (usually available via your hosting provider)

• Install essential plugins (security, SEO, backups)

• Choose a theme that suits your needs

• Configure permalinks and general settings