How to Install a Software on Your Website?

There are ways for installing a software such Content Management System (CMS), on the server of your web hosting account. If you have no idea what a software is, please take a look at the Types of Web Hosts and Website Software.

Manual Installation:

The list below will give you an understanding how to manually install a software, considering that the software that we'll trying to install is an open source CMS called Pligg (specifically Version 1.2.2), which replicates some of Digg's features and back-end:

• Your domain name on a Domain Name Registrar or Registration Service must be prepared.
• Check the required web hosting features of the software that you'll going to use. Most requirements are written on the software's official site. In fact, the Requirements to Run Pligg are written at Download Pligg Content Management System _ Pligg CMS. And follow the right one among these following actions depend on your situation what you have done first:

  Find a web hosting service that's fully supports the requirements, and point your domain name to the DNS your of web host.

  If you already have a web host, your account must supports the requirements. Or upgrade your plan or find another web host if it's not supported.

• Download the latest version of the software that you've wanted. For example, the latest Pligg from Download Pligg Content Management System _ Pligg CMS. The estimated time of downloading it is just 1 minute. Some site required you to register an account first before they allow you to download their product.
• Unzip the downloaded package if it's zipped by following the guide How to Extract a .ZIP file. Some online installing instructions have a step to unzip their package.
• And read the ReadMe document which is often named as readme.html on the down one folder of the extracted folder, where the software components such index.php is located. Other software package have a top text document such “Pligg README.txt” for Pligg, on the folder of the extracted package, that will tell you where to find the ReadMe document.
• In the Installation section of “Pligg CMS 1.2.2/pligg/readme.html”, you will be instructed to do such kind of things:
  1. Create a MySQL database. If you are unfamiliar with how to create a MySQL database, please... (visit Creating and Managing a Relational Database on Web Hosting Control Panel.)
  2. Rename the /languages/lang_english.conf.default file to "lang_english.conf". Same instructions apply to any other lang_LANGUAGE.conf.default file that you might use that are located in the /languages directory. (The software components in “\Pligg CMS 1.2.2” are located at \pligg directory. If renaming an extension warns you by your system with a new window Rename, If you change a file name extension, the file might become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it? Just allow it every time it appear by pressing "Yes".)
  3. Rename the file approvedips.txt.default to "approvedips.txt".
  4. Rename the file bannedips.txt.default to "bannedips.txt".
  5. Rename the file settings.php.default to "settings.php".
  6. Rename the file local-antispam.txt.default to "local-antispam.txt".
  7. Rename the /libs/dbconnect.php.default file to "dbconnect.php".
  8. Now upload the component files of the software to your web hosting server. (The best way to upload a huge amount of files is through an FTP client. Please visit Uploading Files with an FTP Client.)
  9. CHMOD 755 the following directories and files. And if you experience any errors, try 777. (Click here for CHMOD or “Change File Permissions” guidelines.)
     • /admin/backup/
     • /avatars/groups_uploaded/
     • /avatars/user_uploaded/
     • /cache/
     • /cache/admin_c/
     • /cache/templates_c/
     • /languages/ And all of the files contained in this folder should be CHMOD 777
     • approvedips.txt
     • bannedips.txt
     • local-antispam.txt
  10. CHMOD 666 the following files.
      • /libs/dbconnect.php
      • settings.php
  11. Go to /install/index.php in your web browser. If you're redirecting to readme.html, click on the "Install" link at the top of the online ReadMe page.
      • Select a language from the list. (After this, you'll be on the Step 1 page with an installing instructions again, you can review them if they're all done and click "Next".)
      • (This is in Step 2,) Fill out your Database Name, Database Username, Database Password, Database Server and your desired Table Prefix. And click on “Check Settings”. (After that, is the checking Step 3, and if There were no errors, continue onto the next step... by clicking "Next".)
      • (In Step 4,) After Tables were created successfully!, create an admin account.
  12. (In Step 5,) Delete your /install directory from your server if you've successfully installed Pligg.
  13. CHMOD the /libs/dbconnect.php file back to 644.
  14. Go to the online /index.php page.
  15. Log in to the admin account using the credentials generated during the install process.
  16. Go to the admin panel at "/admin/admin_index.php".
  17. Now configure your Pligg site at /admin/admin_config.php to what you want. Use the Modify "Language" page to change your site's name... (This is the end of the online steps.)
• Then, the software which is Pligg as our example, is now successfully installed on your website! You just need to configure and edit it on what you wish..

Did you see, we follow the installation that the software have given to us. So, the ReadMe document such readme.html is important on every software package that you might need to find to read as the guides of proper installation of the software that you've wanted to install. But of course, there are online installation guides, and some instant Installing instructions after you uploaded the software contents to your server.

Installation with an Auto Installer:

And the easiest way to install a software for website, is by using an instant/auto installer, which helps users to install a software in minutes with just a few clicks. Their user can install a software, available on their script library, without having to download, to change and to upload any files. So, if your web hosting account has an auto installer (application), such Softaculous and Fantastico, you can use it to make the installation easy and fast! You can upgrade your hosting plan or find a different web hosting service if they doesn't have an instant installer.