Installing and Configuring WordPress for the First TimeReady to start your own website with WordPress? This beginner's guide will walk you through the process of installing and configuring WordPress for the first time.
WordPress is famous for its 5-minute install, but for those who have never installed web software before, I will show you how to download, install, configure and write your first WordPress blog on your web server. You do not need any knowledge of PHP or any other programming language.
If you're new to website building, WordPress is a great platform to start with. This guide will take you through the steps of installing and configuring WordPress, from choosing a hosting provider to customizing your site's appearance and functionality. With a little bit of patience and some basic technical skills, you can have your website up and running in no time.
In order to install and configure WordPress you will need:
- A web server hosting package that supports PHP version 7.4 or greater
- A MySql database using MySql Server 5.7 or greater, together with login details
- The mod_rewrite Apache module
- FTP access and login details for your web server
You should already have purchased and configured domains and be able to access the empty website through your browser.
Most hosting providers offer a one-click installation process for WordPress, which makes it easy for beginners to get started. Simply log in to your hosting account, navigate to the control panel, and look for the WordPress installation option. Follow the prompts to complete the installation process, and you'll be ready to start configuring your website. If your hosting provider doesn't offer a one-click installation option, you can also install WordPress manually with these instructions.
Manual Installation Instructions
These instructions are for manual installation of WordPress which you may be installing on your private server or if your hosting provider does not provide an automatic WordPress installer.
Download the Latest Version
The first thing you need to do is download the latest version of WordPress. At the time of writing the current version is 6.2.2 and will be used in the demonstration. You can find the latest version can always be found on the WordPress website .
Upload Files Via FTP
Next you will need to extract the archive using one of the many popular archive tools (WinZip , WinRar , 7-Zip , ZipCentral , etc.)
Once the files have been extracted you will need to open your FTP client and navigate to your desired location on the server. This could be the domain root or a subdirectory of the domain. Directory structures may change from provider to provider. On my host, I will be uploading the files to the directory below and I have mapped my test domain (www.mytestdomain.com) here as well.
/usr/www/users/username/wordpress_test/
Once the files have been uploaded without error we can move onto the installation process.
WordPress First Installation
You can now access your new WordPress site by entering your domain name into a browser. If you installed WordPress into the root you just need to browse to the root of the domain. If everything is correct then you will receive a message informing you that there isn't a config file.
When you click the button the install program will create one for you. You will be then taken to the welcome screen followed by a screen where you will need to enter your database information. You will need to provide the database name, username, password, server (host) name and a prefix for the table. It is recommended that you change the wp_ prefix to help prevent malicious attacks and it allows multiple WordPress installs into the same database.
If you get a database connection error at this stage you may need to check all the values are correct before trying again.
All right sparky!
If you get this message then everything is going smoothly, just click the install button and the program will create all the tables and set up the database.
When this is done you will then need to give your blog a title and enter your email address. This address will be used as the administrative contact so you can get notifications of errors, new comments, etc.
Finally, you will get a screen informing you of the admin login details which will contain a random password. You need to copy this to the clipboard before you click on the login button. On the login screen, you can enter admin as the username and paste in the password.
Once logged in the first thing you should do is change the default password to something more memorable. This can be done by clicking on users (top right) followed by the admin user. Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter a new password, one that is strong but easy for you to remember.
Choose a Theme and Customize Your Website's Appearance
Once you have installed WordPress, it's time to choose a theme and customize the appearance of your website. WordPress offers thousands of free and paid themes that you can choose from. You can browse through the themes in the WordPress theme directory or purchase a premium theme from a third-party provider. Once you have chosen a theme, you can customize it by changing the colours, fonts, and layout. You can also add your own logo and images to make your website unique. WordPress makes it easy to customize your website's appearance without any coding knowledge.
Install WordPress Themes with Automatic Installer
Most themes can be installed directly from the WordPress Theme Directory by clicking on the Install Themes tab from Appearance > Themes menu. From here you can search for themes and click to install. You may have to enter your FTP login details so that the files can be uploaded.
Install WordPress Themes Manually with FTP
More advanced themes often require manual installation. While the theme will come with installation instructions, in general, they all follow the same process.
Firstly, you should extract the contents of the .zip file that you downloaded to your hard drive. You can then use an FTP client such as FileZilla to upload the files to your /content/themes/ directory on your website.
Activating A WordPress Theme
Regardless of how you installed the theme, you next need to activate it. This is done from the Appearance > Themes screen. You should see the theme listed and be able to preview or activate it.
Once activated you can now view your site and see how it looks.
Install Essential Plugins to Enhance Functionality
After installing and configuring WordPress, it's important to install essential plugins to enhance the functionality of your website. Some popular plugins include Yoast SEO for optimizing your website for search engines, Jetpack for security and performance, and Contact Form 7 for creating contact forms. You can browse through the WordPress plugin directory to find plugins that suit your needs. Just be sure to only install plugins from reputable sources to avoid any security risks.
Plugins are installed in the same way as themes, you can automatically install a plugin from the Plugins > Add New menu. Again, you may need to enter your FTP details for the files to be uploaded. If you manually install a plugin, the files should be extracted and uploaded to /content/plugins through your FTP client. Like themes, plugins should be activated once installed.
Set up Basic Security Measures to Protect Your Website
Before launching your website, it's important to set up basic security measures to protect it from potential threats. This includes creating strong passwords, limiting login attempts, and installing a security plugin like Jetpack. You should also keep your WordPress version and plugins up to date to ensure any security vulnerabilities are patched. Additionally, consider using a web application firewall (WAF) to add an extra layer of protection to your website. By taking these steps, you can help prevent your website from being hacked or compromised.
