How to install WordPress?

WordPress can be installed easily using one click tools or manual methods. This article describes best practices for WordPress setup.

How to install WordPress?

Many of my friends have started moving to self-hosted WordPresswebsites. Most of them think that they need to install it manually. No need. Follow the steps below.

Installation

There are few automatic tools to enable one click easy installation of WP and many other popular software.

Fantastico Deluxe, Simple Scripts, Quick Install are some of the popular tools. Sometimes, yourhosting company may have in-house autoinstallers like QuickInstall (Hostgator), Hosting connection (GoDaddy). All or either of these will be available in your hosting cPanel usually.

If you do not any such tools, then you may have to install manually. Download WordPress software, create a database and follow the official instructions on how  to install WordPress.

Location

If you are going to have nothing but a blog in your site, then install WP in your root directory. If you wish to have forums, guest books, content management software etc., then it is better that you install in a sub domain called blog. For example, iglodlabs.wordpress.com . To do this, first go to Control Panel – > Sub domains and create the sub domain name blog and then proceed for the WP installation. Alternatively, you can install WordPress in a subdirectory called blog. For example, https://iglodlabs.wordpress.com/blog.

Naming

iglodlabs.wordpress.com format URL is seen widely for blogs. Your next preference can be for thehttps://iglodlabs.wordpress.com/ format. Do not install WordPress in a subdirectory / domain called WordPress and have it in the URL. You should do so only if your website is aboutWordPress. If your site is focused on a topic, then you can also name the site URL upon it. For example, if your website is full of articles about environment, then you can name as environment.iglodlabs.wordpress.com . Sometimes, people have websites in both English and Tamil. If you want to specify the language of the website in the URL, then do so only for the secondary language website. For example, if your whole site is in English, then it is meaningless to name your site as english.englishsite.com . It is also desirable that you specify the language and also the nature of the site explicitly by having a URL like en.blog.orkut.com . The format tamil.something.com or something.com/tamil is mostly used for portals only and you may avoid using formats. If your site is in multiple languages like French, English, Tamil etc., then it is advisable that you follow the international language codes like en.something.com, fr.something.com, ta.something.com rather than naming them as Tamil.something.com . The two letter codes clearly indicate the language version while the full letter version like Tamil.something.com can also be a site in English writing about Tamil.

Uploading

Do not use the file manager in control panel to upload files. Use Filezilla

Editing themes, plugins from dashboard

Backup

Do remember to backup every once in a while depending upon the frequency of changes you make in your website. You never know when you will screw up the installation. It happens almost for everyone. You can use the backup manager in control panel. Also, remember to store a copy of your themes, plugins, uploads folder in your local disk. And backup your WP database by exporting the MySQL database tables every now and then. This table and the uploads folder are the most important ones to backup. Always back up the database and wp-content folder before uninstalling. WP-DB-Backup plugin is best for backing up databases. You can download the wp-content files through FTP. Even if you do not want the blog, it is better to have a copy of the database. Sometimes, you might have hosted more than one blog in one database and if you forgetfully delete the database, all will be gone.

Uninstallation

Control Panel -> Fantastico deluxe -> WordPress -> existing installations -> remove.

No need to remove manually. Sometimes, uninstall / reinstall is lot more easier than bug fixing or making up the mistake done.  If you have backed up everything, then don’t hesitate to uninstall.