How to Host WordPress on Hostgator
WordPress is the world’s #1 content management system and one of the most popular Linux-based blogging platforms. It can be set up in a matter of minutes and allows for complete customization of the appearance to fit any taste. In this article, we will walk you through the steps to get started with WordPress on Hostgator.
Select The Best Host For Your WordPress Instalation
Before you can move forward with the installation process, you will need to choose a web host to house your WordPress installation. There are three things you need to keep in mind when selecting a host, security, performance and price. In most cases, you will want to opt for a shared hosting plan from a reputable web host. This way, you won’t be completely isolated from the rest of the Internet and can make updates to the site with little to no downtime.
For most WordPress websites, the standard shared hosting package from a reputable host should be satisfactory. It comes with a basic set of features that should meet your needs. If you are looking for more advanced features, you should consider a VPS (Virtual Private Server) or a dedicated hosting plan.
Create Your MySQL Database And Login With Superuser
Once you have chosen your web host, it’s time to create a MySQL database and login with Superuser. This is the administrative account with complete access to your WordPress installation. You will need to use this account to connect to MySQL and set up the WordPress dashboard. You can get this done through the Control Panel of your host.
A common question asked by new WordPress users is, “How do I set up my WordPress site?” The answer is surprisingly simple. You will need to go through a series of steps to create a MySQL database and set up a login page. Once finished, you will have a fully functioning WordPress site.
To create a MySQL database, navigate to Dashboard > Database > Create New Database. Give the database a name that you will remember (we will use blog for this example) and click Create. Once the database is created, click Logout and then Login With Superuser.
It is now time to set up the WordPress dashboard. You will need to visit Dashboard > Settings > WP dashboard and enter a desired username and password for the WordPress admin area. Make sure to note these credentials down because you will need them to log in later. You can also choose to use a different username and password for other areas of the site if you wish. Remember, these are case-sensitive so be sure to type them correctly. Once you are logged in, you can access the WordPress backend to configure various settings.
Activate The WordPress Backend
Now that you have set up a WordPress dashboard with the necessary login credentials, it’s time to activate the WordPress backend. This will give you access to Appearance > Themes – the area where you can fully customize the look of your site. You will see that the default theme for WordPress is Twenty Fourteen, which is an elegant, minimalistic design. If you are feeling adventurous, you can always choose from a variety of free WordPress themes offered on the site. Most hosts will also allow you to choose a child theme for your dashboard, which will give you a basic customization layer over the default theme.
To activate the WordPress backend, click Settings > Reading and make sure that the Activate checkbox is checked for the WordPress Reading Settings. This will give you access to Writing > Posts – where you can – among other things – create and schedule new posts. You can also use this area to view your past posts and edit any that you may have forgotten about.
Install WordPress On A Dedicated Or Virtual Machine
Once you have activated the WordPress backend on your web host, it’s time to install the WordPress software itself. You have two main options here, a dedicated server or a virtual machine. The first step is to choose which one you will use and then move forward.
If you decide to install WordPress on a dedicated server, you will need to login to your control panel and click Addon’s > Tools > Install WordPress. In most cases, this will install the latest stable version of WordPress at the time of writing. You can always check for the latest WordPress version by visiting the Help section of the WordPress backend and looking under the About tab for the current WordPress version. You will then be presented with a list of available updates. Check for any critical updates and click Update Now to begin the installation process.
If you decide to install WordPress on a virtual machine, you will need to login to your control panel and click Hosting > Manage > VMware Virtual Machine. From here, you can download and install the VMware Workstation product, which is a free operating system that runs inside a virtual machine. Once installed, you can configure it to run any number of WordPress instances. Most web hosts offer this as a free service or a premium add-on.
Once you have installed WordPress on a virtual machine, you can login to the control panel and click Devices > Workstation > New. From here, you can configure any number of WordPress sites to run inside the VM. You can use this option to effectively run multiple WordPress sites from a single physical host.
Configure The WordPress Address (URL)
The second step in the configuration process is to set the WordPress address (URL).This is the address that people will type into their web browsers to visit your site. If you are running multiple sites from a single virtual machine, you will need to configure a different URL for each site. For example, you can use the mysite.com address for one site and mysecondsite.com for the second site.
To set the WordPress address (URL), navigate to Dashboard > Settings > Reading and then click on the URL field. For most WordPress sites, the standard blogspot.com address is https://blogspot.com/ (case-sensitive). In this case, the HTTP protocol should already be active. If not, simply click the Activate button and let’s get ready to publish some content!