Installing a CMS Manually

To build your website with a CMS, you must first install it. Liquid Web's cPanel and Plesk servers offer automated tools for easy CMS installation. If you're using Cloud Sites or prefer manual installation, this article provides the necessary skills and resources for a successful setup.

If you choose to use a content management system (CMS) to build your website, you need to install the system before you can start building your site. All cPanel and Plesk servers at Liquid Web have automated tools to make installing a CMS quick and easy. If you are installing a CMS on Cloud Sites or just want to try installing a CMS manually, this article will walk you through the skills you’ll need to be successful and give you the resources you need.

If you are using a cPanel or Plesk server, check out the quick and easy auto-installation options:

Installing a CMS manually requires a few skills that you have probably already used:

Uploading files via FTP or a file manager.
Creating databases and database users.
Editing files on your server.

CMS installations follow the same general process. The three most common CMS installations, WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, have detailed installation instructions on their websites. First, you’ll download the CMS files from the CMS website.

Then, you’ll create the database where the CMS will store most of your site’s data, as well as a specific database user. Modern CMSes heavily rely on databases to efficiently store complex datasets, creating a robust site management tool.

After you’ve created your database and database users, you’ll upload the files to your server.

After these three steps, the CMS will either have you run a special installation script or make changes to certain configuration files to finish the installation.

We recommend you read and follow the installation instructions maintained by the CMS provider, as they include many helpful tips and are updated frequently:

Don’t hesitate to contact the Support team if you get stuck installing your CMS. We’re here to help!

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