How do I install web applications using Softaculous autoinstaller in cPanel?

Introduction

Building a website from scratch is often a difficult and time-consuming task. Fortunately, there is an alternative to the traditional approach to website development: Open Source Web Applications. This type of scripts is designed to provide website owners with an easy-to-use web platform for creating and managing their websites. At the same time, it is usually developed and maintained by a large community that provides important security updates and new features and improvements.

Using an open source web application as the basis for your website is quite simple - you install the application and it's ready to use. However, the installation process can sometimes be very extensive and time-consuming. For this purpose, we provide our customers with the open source web application auto installer called Softaculous Autoinstaller in all our web hosting packages. In the following lines of this tutorial we will introduce you to the cPanel feature "Softaculous" for quick and easy installation of open source applications.

The Softaculous function in cPanel

Before you can access the Softaculous function, you must log in to cPanel. After logging in, you will get a complete list of all cPanel functions, which are clearly divided into function groups. To access the Softaculous automatic installer, you must look for the "Software" function group, because there you will find Softaculous.

We have described how to log into cPanel in another tutorial: How can I log in to the cPanel?

When you click on the function, cPanel redirects you to a new page where you can perform further actions using the Softaculous Autoinstaller function.

The Softaculous Autoinstaller interface

The Softaculous function is very easy to use, but before you start using it, you should get an overview and know how Softaculous is structured. Immediately after starting Softaculous, you will be taken to the default page of the autoinstaller. The page has the typical design of an administration interface, with the main menu on the left. In this menu you will find a list of categories for all the applications you can install. At the same time, in the middle of the page you will see a brief summary of your installed scripts, as well as suggestions for new scripts based on the most frequently installed ones.

In the upper right corner of the page you will find other useful links that can help you with your administrative tasks.

Installing a new open source application with Softaculous

To install a new application, you need to find it first. To do this, use the search function that you can find at the top of the left vertical menu. Let's install a new application called Joomla. First you need to search for the application as described. Applications that are frequently installed and used also appear among the TOP applications.

The search returns a result. When you see the application you want to install, click on it. You will then be taken to a new page dedicated to the application, where you can find more information about the installed application and how to install it. To do this, either click the "Install" tab located at the top of the application's page or click the "Install Now" button.

Regardless of which option you choose, you will always be taken to the Installation Configuration page. On this page, you need to configure various settings for the web application installation. Please note that the settings vary depending on the installed application. However, the most common settings you need to make are the following:

Select the version you want to install: In this field you can select the version to install from all supported versions in the drop-down list. We recommend that you always select the latest version.

Select the installation URL: Here you can specify the URL where your application should be called. Please note that Softaculous will automatically populate the installation directory. If you want to install the open source application directly on a specific domain, please delete the content of the field "In Directory".

Admin Username: The open source web application to be installed is managed via its own admin area. Here you can define the user name with which you want to log in to this admin area.

Admin Password: The password for the previously set username. Keep the password in a safe place, as it will never be shown to you again!

Regardless of the application, you will find a section called "Advanced Options" at the bottom of the configuration page. This section, like all the others on the page, is already preconfigured. However, you can also set the options manually:

Database name: The name of the database to be created specifically for this application. Please note that Softaculous has already selected a name that does not exist as a database in your account.
Table Prefix: The prefix of the tables in the database.
Automatic update: Choose whether you want your application to be updated automatically or not. We recommend to use this Option to disable.

When you are done configuring the installation settings, please scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "Install" button to start the installation process.

After the installation process is complete, you will receive an installation summary with additional information on how to access the installed application.

That's it! The installation is complete and you can start using the newly installed open source web application.

In case of any problems, please feel free to contact us for further information and Assistance with our technical support get in touch.