Manually installing software

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Step 1: Upload the files

1. Download the application’s release package (usually a .zip) from the official website.
2. In cPanel, open File Manager and navigate to where the app should live:
   • Domain root: public_html
   • Subfolder: public_html/appname
3. Upload the zip file and use Extract to unpack it.
4. If the archive extracted into its own folder (e.g. appname-1.2.3/), move the contents up so the application’s index file sits in the intended directory.

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Step 2: Create a database

1. In cPanel, open MySQL Databases.
2. Create a new database.
3. Create a new database user with a strong password.
4. Add the user to the database with All Privileges.
5. Note down the full database name, username, and password (they include your cPanel prefix, e.g. cpuser_appdb).

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Step 3: Run the installer

1. Visit the application’s URL in your browser (e.g. https://yourdomain.com/appname).
2. Most applications launch a web installer that asks for:
   • Database host: localhost
   • Database name, username, and password from Step 2
   • Site name and admin account details
3. Follow the installer to completion.

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Step 4: Post-installation checks

• Delete or rename the installer directory if the application instructs you to.
• Verify file permissions: directories 755, files 644.
• Confirm the correct PHP version for the application’s requirements.
• Set up any cron jobs the application needs (see Cron Jobs).