How to install Joomla Using Fantastico

Thanks to the automated setup provided by some hosting companies (like BlueHost and HostMonster ) you can install Joomla in a few clicks of the mouse!

Step By Step

Here is a step-by-step guide of how to install Joomla using the aformentioned tool, Fantastico. After you've signed up with a web hosting company and chosen a domain name you'll be able to login to your account. Usually there is a control panel where you are able to make modifications to your website and account. For demonstration purposes, I'll be showing you the setup with one of my favorite hosts, BlueHost since I know they have Fantastico readily available.

Login to your control panel

Usually you can login to your control panel directly from your web hosting provider's homepage.

After logging, you'll be presented with the control panel page that looks similar to this:

There's a lot of control panel tools and icons (the majority you never end up using), the one we are interested in at the moment is called Fantastico. Fantastico is a tool that automates the setup of many useful web components, and as I mentioned, we will use it to install Joomla.

The icon of Fantastico looks like this:

Once you click the icon you'll see the Fantastico page and a list of components available to install.

Choose Joomla under "Content Management":

Choose New Installation:

Next you'll want to answer the questions about your site's configuration:

The fields are explained in good detail and should be pretty self explanatory. One thing to note, when you fill out this form, write down the username and password that you use. It's very important that you remember these two things when it comes time to login to your Joomla website.

After you click "Install Joomla" you will be taken to the last step for installing Joomla via Fantastico. It will tell you that it is creating a new database and user (don't worry if you don't entirely understand what that means). More importantly it reports the access url to your Joomla website -- this should be what you expected. If not go back and change your Joomla installation if you've made a mistake.

Click "Finish installation" to finalize your Joomla install

Usually the next page will give you the final log of what Fantastico did. It will tell you that it created a Fantastico file that contains information about your Joomla installation which you should not delete! Fantastico uses this file to automatically undo your Joomla installation if you choose to delete or if you have made a mistake.

Preview the default Joomla installation:

Go to your domain: For example, www.bignotice.com . Now depending on where you installed ("Install in directory" field from above) you might have to append the directory name, for example: www.bignotice.com/mydirectory. You will see a fully functional, robust, dynamic site all made possible by Joomla (and Fantastico).

Log Into the Administrator area of your website:

Navigate your browser and append "administrator" to the end of your site, for example:

http://www.bignotice.com/administrator

There you'll be prompted for your username and password, which you specified during the Fantastico installation under Admin access data. You'll be visiting this area to make changes to your site, so get used to it!

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