How to install Joomla! 3.0

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How to install Joomla! 3.0

Yes, the new Joomla! 3.0 is out! In this article I’m going to write you a tutorial on how to install Joomla! 3.0 and show you how is it is, well basically it’s the same on every version, you need to do the same exact procedure.

I want to say first that this version is fully mobile ready, and it will be supported for at least 2 years now. They made it more user friendly, added jquery support and redefined the the joomla administration section using the new Bootstrap responsive framework.

Of course, you don’t necessary need to upgrade to the latest version, you can still use Joomla! 2.5 which is really a very good CMS.

Ok, but let’s get started to install Joomla! 3.0.

Download Joomla 3.0 script

You can download the script from this location, as of now, the version is Joomla 3.0 :

Preparing the installation process

As in almost every php script, you need the following:

  1. Mysql details (MySQL hosname, MySQL database, MySQL User, Mysql Password)
  2. Means for uploading the script to your web server (You can use a FTP client like Filezilla or just use Filemanager directly from your hosting control panel)

In my other articles I’ve already explained  how you can create a MySQL user and database using cPanel, I’ll skip this step.

Now download the script by clicking the download button above to get the last stable version. Using cPanel you can upload it directly using Filemanager, then unzip it. The content from this archive needs to be moved (if using Filemanager) or uploaded using a FTP client like Filezilla to your website document root ( usually the document root folder is named public_html, www or htdocs).

Running the Joomla! 3.0 script installer

You can begin the intallation process by loading your website inside your browser. In my case, I created a demo URL for this test, so for me is:

http://www.joomlatest.org/

and it will redirect you to the installation folder:

http://www.joomlatest.org/installation/index.php

The installer has changed a little from the recent versions, but not by much, from Step 1 it’s asking details about:

  • Site Name
  • Description
  • Admin Email
  • Admin Username
  • Admin Password and Confirm password
  • Site Offline (if you want to have it switched off by default, leave this as it is “No” to have an online site)

Enter each of these details there, these are personal/basic information that needs entered, no help needed here.

After you’re done, click the top-right “Next” button. Step 2 is related to your Database Configuration settings. You will have to enter the following:

  • Database Type – usually is MySQL or MySQLi
  • Hostname – on most servers this is localhost, if you’re not sure, ask your hosting provider!
  • Username – your MySQL user
  • Password – your MySQL user password
  • Database Name – your MySQL database name
  • Table Prefix – this can be whatever you want, but you can leave it as it is.
  • Old Database Process – If you have an existing installation, you can use this to replace tables and use the old data OR you can remove the tables and install new tables. It’s good to be left as default or backup your database if you’re not sure!

Hit the “Next” button in the top-right corner when you’re done. The Step 3 is asking if you want to enable FTP support. In most cases this is really not needed, so I’m skipping this. It’s also asking for FTP credentials which you should already know since you’ve used a FTP to upload your Joomla! 3.0 script. So leave Enable FTP Layer by default to “No” and hit the “Next” button.

We are on the last step now, finalizing the installation process. On this page you are first ask if you want to install some sample data for you to get used to it. You can just remove the content afterward, so I’m going to select to install for me “Blog English (GB) Sample Data“. Next you can set your script if you want to send the configuration details to your admin email, I’ll choose Yes in my case because I always like to keep my things written down in case I forget something.

On the bottom in the left side, you will have “Pre-Installation Check“, this is really important, you need to make sure everything in this pre-installation check is marked with a green “yes” mark. If it’s not, you could have problems later or you won’t be able to install it successfully.

In the right side, are the php settings recommended by Joomla! in order for you to have full compatibility support.

Hit the “Install” button in the top-right side when you’re ready to finish the installation. Leave the installer to do its job and at the end you will be asked to remove the installation folder. You can click the button “Remove installation folder” to attempt removing the installation folder from the installation script itself OR you can just remove it using a Filemanager or FTP client.

And you are done, great job! You can now view your new Joomla! 3.0 website using:

http://www.yourdomain.com

To access its administration area you can use:

http://www.yourdomain.com/administrator/

And that’s it, enjoy the new version of Joomla! 3.0.

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