WordPress has never been easier to install than the latest version. In this article, I will describe how to install WordPress 2.5.
INSTALL WORDPRESS IN FIVE EASY STEPS
(1) Download WordPress
The first installation step is to Download WordPress from I created a directory on my PC called "wordpress" in which to collect the files and images I will use for my WordPress installation and customization. Once the download competed, I saved the .zip file.
(2) Unzip WordPress
After saving the file, I opened it with the zip/unzip program I use, and selected all of the files. Since I will be testing and modifying Wordpress locally to begin with, I "extracted" the files to the root directory of the Apache server I use for my PC test bed.
If I were going to install WordPress "for real" on a live web site, I would have used an FTP client to upload the .zip file to the desired directory at my hosting service and unziped the file there. Firefox has a terrific and *free* FTP client, FireFTP, that can be used for the upload.
(3) Create the Database
At this point, the WordPress database needs to be created. WordPress requires a database to store the site content and other information. I use MySQL for my database server both on my PC test bed and on my live sites. I use phpMyAdmin as an interface to MySQL.
Creating the database is really simple using phpMyAdmin. I simply start phpMyAdmin, enter the database name, and hit the "Create" button. WordPress will create the tables it needs in the database.
(4) Create wp-config.php
WordPress needs to know how to access the database once it has been created. That's what the wp-config.php file is for. WordPress includes a file called "wp-config-sample.php." This file needs to be modified with the database access information and renamed to "wp-config.php."
Open the config file with any text editor. The critical entries are DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST.
As an enhanced security measure, I obtained a unique SECRET_KEY and pasted this into the file. I then saved the edited file as wp-config.php. The text below shows the code I changed:
// ** MySQL settings ** //
define('DB_NAME', 'wordpress'); // The name of the database
define('DB_USER', 'rtivel'); // Your MySQL username
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'MyPassword'); // ...and password
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost'); // 99% chance you won't need to change this value
// Change SECRET_KEY to a unique phrase. You won't have to remember it later,
// so make it long and complicated. You can visit
// to get a secret key generated for you, or just make something up.
define('SECRET_KEY', 'diq`~@|CH6)l@u>x;hA>1ew1maZ/)ToE!y%}}ZYAI!=V^L()eooB!0V+k8LJa!Eh'); // Change this to a unique phrase.
(5) Run the WordPress Installer
After completing the edit of the wp-config.php file, I started the installation script by entering this URL to my Apache server into my browser:
localhost/wordpress/wp-admin/install.php
For a live site, the URL might be something like this:
yourdomain.com/wordpress/wp-admin/install.php
The first installation screen asks for the blog name and contact email address.
The next screen announces a successful installation and provides a username and password for the administrator. Be sure to save this password!
The installation is now complete. I can now log into Wordpress and begin managing the blog, customizing the theme, or adding content.
Or, I can click the link at the top of the log-in screen and go to the blog's home page.
If you don't manually create a wp-config.php file, WordPress will prompt for the information it needs and try to complete the installation.
That's it! WordPress should now be installed.
Yours for a more successful blog,
Royce Tivel
