How to Install WordPress at HostGator

• HostGator Account (Sign up)
• cPanel Username & Password
• DNS configured (Domain name pointed to HostGator Server)

1. Download the WordPress Package (.zip). Available here: http://wordpress.org/download/

*Note WordPress 3.2.1 was the latest version when this document was made. It is recommended to always use the newest version of WordPress.

1. Go to http://YOURDOMAIN.COM/cpanel.
2. Log in to cPanel. Enter the username and password then click ‘Login’.

1. Click ‘File Manager’ which is under the “Files” section (Select “Web Root” in the dialogue box that appears after you click on ‘File Manager’. By default, the web root puts you into the ‘public_html’ folder which we will install to. Not pictured.).

1. Verify you are in the “public_html” folder (This is the top level folder).
2. Click Upload. An upload window will pop out. In the upload window, click ‘Choose File’ or ‘Browse’. Select the WordPress Install Package (The ‘.ZIP’ file that was downloaded from WordPress.org) and click ‘Open’. (Not Pictured)
3. Highlight uploaded Uploaded Package (Back in the File Manager, after using the upload window).
4. Click ‘Extract’ (There should not be any extra files or folders in the directory you install to. EXCEPT the ‘cgi bin’ folder and/or the .htaccess file. Extra files could mess up WordPress).
5. Double Click to open the newly created ‘wordpress’ folder.

*Optional – You can also upload the .Zip of WordPress already extracted via FTP. We recommend Filezilla FTP client software for this. Detailed instructions for this are outside the scope of this tutorial.

1. Click ‘Select all’ while in the ‘wordpress’ directory.
2. Click ‘Move File’, you will now see a pop up screen. In the popup screen, delete ‘wordpress’ after /public_html/ and click ‘Move File(s)’ (not pictured).

*Note this moves the WordPress installation to the main domain or ‘root directory’ of the website. If you want to keep the installation in a subfolder, you can simply leave folder and files the way they are or rename the ‘wordpress’ folder to any other name.

1. Click on ‘MySQL Databases’ after scrolling down to the “Databases” section in cPanel.

1. Create a New Database by entering the name where it says ‘New Database: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com our database is called ‘dropline_WORDPRESS’), then click ‘Create Database’.
2. Create a New User by entering the username where it says ‘Username: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com our username is ‘dropline_USER’), next enter the password, then click ‘Create User’.
3. Add the USER to the DATABASE by selecting ‘User: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ to ‘Database: YOURUNIQUEID_XXXX’ (For droplinemenu.com it is ‘User: dropline_USER’ to ‘Database: dropline_WORDPRESS’) and click ‘Add’.
4. Check ‘All Privileges’ and click, ‘Make Changes’ (Not Pictured). STORE YOUR DATABASE, USERNAME AND PASSWORD in a safe place.

1. Go to http://YOURDOMAIN.com/wp-admin/install.php
2. Click ‘Create a Configuration File’

*Note this checks to see if you have already created the wp-config.php file. If you have none, this screen will create the file for you.

1. Click ‘Let’s go!’ after making sure you have your database information ready to go.

1. Enter your Database Name
2. Enter your Database Username
3. Enter your password
4. Don’t change ‘Database Host’ or ‘Table Prefix’ unless you know what you’re doing. These settings work for a majority of people.
5. Click ‘Submit’.

1. Click ‘Run the install’

1. Enter your sites name. For us it is ‘Dropline Menu’. This is a human readable name for your site.
2. Pick the WordPress administrator’s username. We went with the default which is ‘admin’. It’s better to picks a more secure username.
3. Create a strong WordPress administrator password.
4. Choose the administrator’s email. This is where the installation information will be sent on completion as well as the email that wordpress will send your forgotten password or username.
5. Check ‘allow my site to appear in search engines like google and technorati’ to keep your site public and available to be found by search engines.
6. Click ‘Install WordPress’

1. Click ‘Log In’ to see the backend of your new WordPress installation

1. Enter your administrator username and password for your WordPress site and click ‘Log In’. Also you can login by going to YOURDOMAIN.COM/WP-ADMIN for us it’s DROPLINEMENU.COM/WP-ADMIN.

Congratulations! You are ready to start using WordPress to develop your website! Just have your login information handy and you are set.

1. Visit the “Frontend” of the site to make sure it is working properly by visiting it at YOURDOMAIN.COM (Ours was DROPLINEMENU.COM).

• Install WordPress at HostGator using QuickInstall
• Install WordPress at HostGator using Fantastico