Softaculous is a one-click installer built into cPanel. It sets up applications such as WordPress, Joomla, and many others, creating the database and files for you so you do not have to do anything manually.
Finding Softaculous
- In cPanel, scroll to the Software section.
- Click Softaculous Apps Installer, or click the WordPress icon directly to jump to that install.
- Browse categories on the left or search for the app you want.
Installing WordPress
- Open WordPress in Softaculous and click Install Now.
- Choose the protocol: select https:// if you have an SSL certificate active.
- Pick the domain to install on, and leave the In Directory field blank to install at the domain root.
- Set a Site Name and Description.
- Create an Admin Username, a strong password, and an admin email. Avoid using "admin" as the username for security.
- Click Install.
When it finishes, Softaculous shows your site URL and the admin login link, usually yourdomain.com/wp-admin.
Managing Installed Apps
Softaculous keeps track of everything it installs:
- Updates: it flags when a new version is available and can apply it for you.
- Backups: you can create and restore a snapshot of an installed app.
- Staging: some apps support a clone you can test changes on safely.
- Removal: use the uninstall option to remove the app, its files, and its database.
Good Practices
- Always set a strong admin password and a real email address.
- Keep applications updated to close security holes.
- Take a backup before applying a major update.
If an install fails partway, remove the partial install from the Softaculous list before trying again to avoid leftover files.