Although WordPress is user/installer-friendly, it is nevertheless a very powerful piece of software. For the novice, following a few simple steps may be enough, especially since there are so many helpful resources on the Internet. Persons with more advanced skill, however, can use WordPress to do some very amazing things, technically speaking.

What Do You Need to Get the Ball Rolling?

If installing WordPress on your own, here are some things you’ll need:

• The web browser you’ve selected
• An File Transfer Protocol client
• A texting editor
• Web server accessibility (i.e., through FTP or shell).

In preparation for installation, make sure that you . . .

1. Ascertain having basic hardware/software requirements for running WordPress
2. Select latest, most-updated, version-of-your-choice WordPress; download program
3. De-zip the file and save to hard drive
4. Choose a password (“secret key”) needed to configure the program
5. Produce hard copies of all installation instructions/tips for future reference

Are You Ready to Install?

Some people prefer to watch an installation video before installing new software; others, lacking confidence in their technical skills, delegate the matter to someone else. WordPress, however, is nothing to get intimidated by, especially with all the helpful resources online.

To install WordPress, proceed to . . .

1. Make sure the de-zipped wp-config.php file you downloaded is showing up in your hard drive
2. Designating a MySQL user authorized/charged with access/maintenance of it, create a web-server-of-your-choice WordPress database.
3. Re-classify the wp-config-sample.php WordPress file you downloaded from the Internet to a wp-config.php file.
4. Using a text editor (WYSIWYG or HTML—take your choice), open the wp-config.php file; following instructions given in editingwp-config.php, fill out details for your database. You are now ready for your individualized, private key “password.”
5. Load up WordPress files into web server’s designated “location”. Choose one of 2 options:

1. Transfer all WordPress directory content (minus the directory) to your web server’s root directory, should you wish to coalesce WordPress with your domains “root,” as into http://example.com, etc.
2. Create your server’s blog directory, loading up WordPress into the directory by way of an FTP, if you prefer to install WordPress into your own website’s sub-directory—that is, http://example.com/blog. Do make sure that your FTP client’s automatic conversion-to-lower-case-characters-of-files (if such applies) is disabled.

1. After gaining wp-admin/install.php access through a web browser, run the installation script for WordPress. To that end,

1. Go to http://example.com/wp.admin/install.php, if you designated WordPress into the root directory.
2. Go to http://example.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php, if you designated WordPress into a “blog” subdirectory.

This is, of course, merely an abbreviated installation tutorial. As you enter the program, you will be guided by fill-in-the-blank pages; they will ask for things like “site title,” “user name,” “chosen password,” and “email address.” Be sure to keep information you enter in a safe place and that it is what you really want since making changes later on can be tricky.

For More Detailed Installation Tutorials . . .

A number of good WordPress installation tutorials are available on the Internet—including some video versions, for those who prefer a hands-on teaching approach. Additionally, there are dozens of tools (e.g., Fantastico) designed to make the WordPress installation/usage experience easier, quicker and more productive. The main thing is to start using the program as soon as possible; in a short time, you will be doing amazing things with it.