{"id":60712,"date":"2021-01-21T05:38:33","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T11:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/?p=60712"},"modified":"2025-11-13T23:49:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T05:49:44","slug":"how-to-install-joomla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/how-to-install-joomla\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install Joomla?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joomla is a full-stack content management system responsible for building <strong>over 2.5 million websites<\/strong> worldwide. The platform is completely open-source, allowing webmasters to easily scale their projects as they grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joomla is available for installation either <strong>manually <\/strong>or by using an <strong>application installer<\/strong> such as Softaculous. The latter is much simpler, but you should always consider a manual installation if you want to customize the process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide will cover how to install Joomla using both methods and provide valuable insight into the popular web application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\">What is Joomla?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simply put, Joomla is an <strong>open-source content management system (CMS)<\/strong>. It offers users tools to build websites that handle and deliver various forms of content &#8211; <strong>blogs<\/strong>, <strong>online shops<\/strong>, <strong>community portals<\/strong>, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joomla has been around for some time and has built quite a loyal following over the years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First introduced in <strong>2005<\/strong>, Joomla is still going strong today. It is <strong>currently available as version 3.9.x<\/strong>, with developers looking towards a next minor release as 3.10. Once it is released, it will be the last of the series, with future work moving towards <strong>Joomla 4<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"joomla\">Joomla Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a CMS, many key Joomla features revolve around easy content management. A big part of this comes in the form of a <strong>What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get or WYSIWYG editor<\/strong>. Much like a word processor, the editor lets users craft content within an intuitive environment full of handy options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joomla is an expert when it comes to <strong>content optimization<\/strong>. You can utilize the media manager to add different file types to your article or prepare the content for search engines.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One often overlooked feature in Joomla is the <strong>banner manager<\/strong>. Quite handy for commercial websites, this option offers an easy way to monetize your website. The feature allows users to create <strong>profitable advertising campaigns<\/strong> and manage them easily from an easy-to-use panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that&#8217;s just the tip of the iceberg. Joomla also comes with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>User and contact management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrated help system<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Built-in smart search tool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Multilingual support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just imagine all the possibilities&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pros\">Joomla Pros and Cons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The open-source nature of Joomla means the platform is <strong>available at no cost<\/strong>. You are free to download, install, operate, and even modify the core application as you see fit. This makes Joomla a flexible and effective solution for <strong>individuals and small businesses<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, thanks to a relatively large and active community, help is always around the corner. There are numerous <strong>community forums<\/strong> and <strong>freelance developers<\/strong> that gladly share know-how and Joomla-related advice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joomla supports an <strong>extension ecosystem<\/strong> that allows users to extend on core capabilities of the application. The wide variety of modules will help you add <strong>calendars<\/strong>, <strong>contact forms<\/strong>, <strong>caching solutions<\/strong>, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to these extensions, Joomla is considered <strong>ecommerce-ready <\/strong>as well. Utilizing plugins like <strong>VirtueMart<\/strong> and <strong>HikaShop<\/strong>, you can turn any Joomla-based site into a lightning-fast and stylish online shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other Joomla advantages include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ease of use<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High environment compatibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEO optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excellent scalability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While all of this sounds great, not everything is perfect with Joomla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the CMS is relatively easy to use, this isn\u2019t always true when compared to similar platforms. For example, it is often considered <strong>more difficult to manage compared to WordPress<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As it is a free platform, Joomla offers <strong>no official support<\/strong> from the app developers. Sure, you can always partner with a reliable hosting provider that is experienced with the app, but the situation is still less than optimal in a business context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how\">How to Install Joomla Manually<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Joomla installation process is simple and straightforward enough. Still, compared to similar web applications, you might find its configuration process a bit more involving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-download-installation-package\">1. Download Installation Package<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are going to install the CMS on your web hosting server, you\u2019ll need to <a href=\"https:\/\/downloads.joomla.org\/\">download a fresh Joomla copy<\/a> first. We recommend using the official website and getting the latest stable version of Joomla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The installation package should come as a single archive file. Save that to your local drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-upload-the-joomla-files-to-your-server\">2. Upload the Joomla Files to Your Server<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the latest version of Joomla downloaded, you have to move it onto your web hosting server. You can do this by making use of an <strong>FTP Client<\/strong> (ex. <a href=\"https:\/\/filezilla-project.org\/\">FileZilla<\/a>) or the <strong>file manager <\/strong>that comes with your web hosting control panel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve uploaded the file, you should then <strong>extract it into a chosen directory<\/strong> on your server. You can select the root folder here or any subfolder of your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-create-a-mysql-database\">3. Create a MySQL Database<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you start the installation, there is one more thing to do &#8211; creating a database. To do this, you will need to use the web hosting control panel. In this guide, we\u2019ll be using our proprietary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/spanel.html\">ScalaHosting SPanel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scroll down to the <strong>Databases<\/strong> section of the control panel and click on <strong>MySQL Databases<\/strong>. Next, fill in the name of the table and hit the <strong>Create Database<\/strong>&nbsp;button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will now have to <strong>assign a user to the database<\/strong>. Go to the <strong>New MYSQL User<\/strong> section, and fill in the required database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now we have to connect the two. To do so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Scroll down to <strong>Grant Access to Database<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select the <strong>database<\/strong> and <strong>username<\/strong> you have created<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Add User to Database<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that you\u2019ve created the database and assigned a user to it, you can start the installation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-follow-the-installation-instructions\">4. Follow the Installation Instructions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Launch your web browser<\/strong> and head to the installer via your domain name or IP address. If you unzipped the files anywhere else other than the main directory, make sure to specify the full path. For example, if you installed the CMS in a directory called \u201cJoomla,\u201d navigate to <em>www.yourdomain.com\/joomla<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The URL should load the Joomla <strong>setup wizard<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should first fill in the basic details here, such as your <strong>website name<\/strong> and <strong>user<\/strong>. This will be your username for administrating Joomla, different from the database username you created earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve filled in those details, click <strong>Next<\/strong> and move on to <strong>database configuration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, you need to fill in the information of the database and associated user from the previous step. Select <strong>MySQL<\/strong> for <strong>Database Type<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next tab is pretty much an overview of the settings you have just filled in. Double-check everything and click <strong>Install<\/strong> if all details look right. You will see a confirmation message once the process is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note: <\/strong>There will be an option displayed to <strong>Remove Installation Folder<\/strong>. This removal is mainly for security purposes. Joomla will not let you start using your new site unless you remove these system files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"to\">How to Install Joomla via Softaculous<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Softaculous is a <strong>web application installation utility<\/strong>. For those who have access to this handy tool, you won\u2019t need to go through all of the steps outlined in the manual process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Launch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/scalahosting-introduces-softaculous-for-spanel\/\"><strong>Softaculous<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;from your <strong>web hosting control panel<\/strong>, then select <strong>Joomla<\/strong> from the software list. Softaculous automates most of the installation, so you just have to <strong>fill in the admin and database details<\/strong> for your new website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hit <strong>Install<\/strong>, wait a few seconds, and voila &#8211; you can now start working with Joomla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"and\">ScalaHosting and Joomla<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joomla can easily run on almost <strong>any type of web hosting plan <\/strong>&#8211; even a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/joomla-hosting.html\"><strong>shared hosting deal<\/strong><\/a> will suffice for a smaller project that utilizes this CMS. All Joomla-optimized plans come with the <strong>Softaculous auto-installer<\/strong>, <strong>free SSL certificate<\/strong>, and a <strong>backup solution<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, if you\u2019re looking for better performance and scalability options &#8211; a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/managed-cloud-hosting.html\"><strong>Cloud VPS server<\/strong><\/a> is the way to go. Apart from all the mentioned perks, you&#8217;ll enjoy an isolated account environment, guaranteed system resources, and a dedicated IP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t want to go through all the hassle of installing Joomla yourself? Not a problem! Simply <strong>contact our experienced support team,<\/strong> and they will configure the application for you.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"shortcode-cta-new-wrap row joomla\">\r\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"shortcode-logo\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/shortcode-bg-new-logo-joomla.svg\" alt=\"shortcode-logo\" title=\"shortcode-logo\"\/>\r\n    <div class=\"shortcode-cta-img col-10 col-sm-7 col-md-5\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"shortcode-bg\" src=\"\/blog\/images\/shortcode-bg-new-joomla.webp\" alt=\"shortcode-bg\" title=\"shortcode-bg\"\/>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"shortcode-cta-content col-12 col-md-7\">\r\n        <div class=\"content\">\r\n            <div class=\"heading\">Take your Joomla site to new Heights - Join the ScalaHosting Family<\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"list-wrap\">\r\n                <div class=\"list\">\r\n                    <div><b>Free, Effortless & No-Downtime Migration<\/b><\/div>\r\n                    <div><b>Anytime Unconditional Money-back Guarantee<\/b><\/div>\r\n                    <div><b>Constant, fast and competent Joomla Support<\/b><\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"btn-wrap row\">\r\n                <div class=\"col-auto\">\r\n                    <a class=\"button blue\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/joomla-hosting.html\">Start Now<\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"col-auto\">\r\n                    <button class=\"button blue_outer\" title=\"Contact Sales\" onclick=\"chatChangeVisibility(this, 'maximize', {}, 5);\">Chat with our Experts<\/button>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Irrespective of how you choose to install Joomla, the process isn\u2019t as complicated as you may think. As you can see from our review today, even if you configure the software manually, there are just a few simple steps involved. Luckily, in most use cases, you can simply use a one-click installer or your host&#8217;s expert support to handle the process for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: What database does Joomla support?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> Joomla can work with <strong>MySQL, SQL Server, <\/strong>and <strong>PostgreSQL<\/strong>. The database type you will most likely be using in a web hosting context is MySQL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Can I convert a static website to use Joomla?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> Yes, it is possible to convert a static website to Joomla. Not only that, but Joomla&#8217;s official website even has a detailed guide with instructions on how to do this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Why do I get error messages on top of every page?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> This phenomenon happens due to an error display feature in Joomla. To disable it, navigate to the Global Configuration menu and disable \u201c<em>Display Errors.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: How do I install Joomla templates?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> From your Joomla control panel, navigate to<em> Extensions -&gt; Manage -&gt; Install<\/em>. Choose the template file from your local machine and click <em>Upload &amp; Install<\/em>. Afterward, you can enable the new design from the template manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Which is better &#8211; Joomla or WordPress?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A:<\/strong> This depends on your use case. WordPress is widely known to be more user friendly and adaptable for pretty much any website type. In comparison, Joomla comes with more features out-the-box, but when it comes to plugins\/extensions &#8211; WP is way ahead of the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"mce-application\/ld+json\">\n    {\n      \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [{\n        \"@type\": \"Question\",\n        \"name\": \"What database does Joomla support?\",\n        \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n          \"text\": \"Joomla can work with MySQL, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL. 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Thanks to its wide adoption, it is also much easier to get assistance and has a broader range of plugins to extend functionality.\"\n        }\n      }]\n    }<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"youtube-player wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"4zZiFTQoXRM\">What is a VPS &#8211; Everything you need to know!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n    {\n        \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n        \"@type\": \"VideoObject\",\n        \"name\": \"What is a VPS - Everything you need to know!\",\n        \"description\": \"In this video we'll explain what is a VPS, how does it work and why you might need one. A lot of poeple are familiar with shared hosting nowdays so we'll compare these two options so it's easy to understand.\",\n        \"thumbnailUrl\": [\n            \"https:\/\/i3.ytimg.com\/vi\/4zZiFTQoXRM\/maxresdefault.jpg\"\n        ],\n        \"uploadDate\": \"2022-04-11\",\n        \"duration\": \"PT4M19S\",\n        \"embedUrl\": \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4zZiFTQoXRM\"\n    }\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Joomla is a full-stack content management system responsible for building over 2.5 million websites worldwide. The platform is completely open-source, &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":60714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-cluster-joomla.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Joomla is one of the top rated CMS solutions, responsible for the smooth operation of millions of websites. 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