Since you’re on this page, you probably want to join them, but before you do, you need to install Moodle on your hosting account. Today, we’ll show you how to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TL;DR: Setting Up a New Moodle Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Setting up a fresh Moodle installation may sound like a technically complicated job. The truth is, the level of complexity depends on the installation method and the environment in which you’re deploying it. Whatever the setup, the task requires no specialized technical skills or tools. Even a novice can tackle it, but to be successful, they’ll need to pay attention to the steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today’s guide will cover three different scenarios on how to install Moodle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- How to install Moodle through Softaculous<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How to install Moodle manually on a hosting account<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How to install Moodle on your local computer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
We’ll cover all the details and show you exactly what to look out for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deciding on How to Deploy Your Moodle Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Moodle isn’t the most lightweight platform you’ll ever see. It relies on heavy PHP scripts and quite a few database queries to operate normally. Frequent cron jobs are required for configuring notifications, grade upgrades, and automated backups, and the generation of large course files means that the project size can expand quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many users ignore all this when choosing how to host their new Moodle projects. To keep costs down, they deploy the LMS on cheap shared plans and soon face various bottlenecks and performance issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The truth is, Moodle can theoretically run on a shared hosting service, but the setup presents numerous limitations that can prevent you from making the most of the LMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, cron jobs can be limited to run every 15 or 30 minutes, which breaks features and causes delays<\/strong>. Because many users launch database queries simultaneously, the MySQL service is often under a significant load, slowing your loading speeds to a crawl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All this assuming Moodle starts at all. It needs quite a few PHP extensions<\/strong> to work correctly, and if they’re not installed, you don’t always have the means to set them up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The solution?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A successful Moodle project needs a dedicated hosting environment<\/strong>, and the good news is, you don’t need to break the bank to get it. The explosive development of cloud technologies means that cloud hosting solutions<\/strong><\/a> are becoming more and more affordable. For example, at ScalaHosting, you can get a fully managed virtual server for as little as $14.95 per month. This is marginally more than the premium shared service required to make Moodle run, but there are a few key advantages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Guaranteed resources<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In a VPS, the hosting environment is fully isolated. You don’t share the hardware resources with anyone else, so your performance isn’t dependent on how much load other projects put on the server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loading speeds are faster and more consistent<\/strong>, and the overall operation is more predictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Infinite scalability<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A properly configured cloud infrastructure should give your virtual server practically infinite room for growth<\/strong>. There’s an enormous pool of hardware resources you can tap into, so whenever you need more processing power, memory, or storage space, an upgrade is just a few clicks away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With ScalaHosting, you can tweak individual components, allowing for even more flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- An optimized hosting environment<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Choosing the correct hosting provider plays a significant role in ensuring your Moodle project runs smoothly. For example, ScalaHosting has a range of hosting solutions optimized specifically for Moodle<\/strong><\/a>. Our technical experts have configured the virtual servers to provide the best possible performance and reliability for the world’s most popular LMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All required PHP extensions are installed, and the operating system’s settings are tweaked to ensure impeccable uptime, security, and speed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Easy management<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
ScalaHosting’s Moodle hosting solutions are fully managed, meaning our technical experts take care of things like OS updates, security patches, and core server settings. However, ultimately, it’s up to you to deploy and manage your Moodle project. To help you, we’ve equipped all our cloud VPS solutions with SPanel <\/strong>– an all-in-one web server management platform that helps you with all aspects of your site’s development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This, of course, includes Moodle’s installation. Let’s see how it’s done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Install Moodle Via Softaculous<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In the past, installing any website building application on a hosting account meant downloading and extracting the files in the document root, setting up a new database, and configuring the app to work with the rest of the components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An automatic installer does all of the above in mere seconds, and all you need to do to trigger this chain of events is click the mouse several times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Softaculous <\/strong>is by far the most popular automatic installer. It’s widely available on most popular web hosting control panels, and using it is about as straightforward as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s how to install Moodle if you’re using Softaculous on an SPanel server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Open Softaculous from SPanel’s User Interface.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The Softaculous<\/strong> app installer is located under the Software <\/strong>section on the homepage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/softaculous.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Type Moodle<\/strong> in the search box and open the app’s overview.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Softaculous supports over 400 website-building applications, so the search functionality can save you a lot of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-softaculous-1024x480.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Click Install Now <\/strong>and configure the installation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
First, you pick the installation URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-software-setup-1024x252.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom the Choose Protocol<\/strong> drop-down menu, you pick whether to use HTTPS or HTTP and the www or non-www version of your domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The www vs. non-www debate has been raging for years, but the experts now agree that your choice should be based on personal preference. There are no technical or SEO benefits to using either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also agree that you should use HTTPS rather than HTTP. Your SPanel server comes with a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate<\/strong> that is automatically installed once you point your domain, so you have that requirement covered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pick the correct domain (or subdomain) from the Choose Domain<\/strong> drop-down and use the In Directory<\/strong> field to install Moodle in a subfolder (e.g., https:\/\/www.domain.com\/moodle). Leave it empty if you want to set up the installation in the domain’s document root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the right, there’s a drop-down, allowing you to select the version of Moodle you’d like to install. Softaculous supports multiple iterations of the LMS, but if you want the best security, performance, and stability, it’s best to stick with the latest one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further down, there are fields for configuring Moodle’s data directory and cron jobs<\/strong>. Unless you have specific requirements, you can leave them as they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-site-settings-1024x433.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFurther down, you configure your site’s name and admin account<\/strong>. The interface should be easy to navigate, even for complete novices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing you must do is assign a strong password to your admin account. By default, Softaculous suggests using “Password1!<\/em>“, which is a terrible idea. Be sure you choose a properly random password, and don’t forget that it needs to be unique. Otherwise, you’re putting your Moodle installation at serious risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-advanced-options-1024x461.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nScroll further down, and you’ll see a drop-down letting you choose the language of Moodle’s interface. Below it, there’s a menu labeled Advanced Options<\/strong>. Through it, you can tweak things like backups and the name of your database. If your hosting account has a good enough automated backup system, you won’t need to touch anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Click Install<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Softaculous will download the chosen Moodle package, extract the files, set up the database, and configure everything. Within a minute, you can start work on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Install Moodle Manually<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If Softaculous isn’t available, you’ll need to install Moodle manually. While this sounds complicated, once you follow the steps, you’ll see that the process is fairly straightforward. Let’s get to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Head to the official Moodle website<\/strong><\/a> and download the LMS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
You can choose between the latest official release and a version that regularly receives stability enhancements and fixes. The latter is the better choice for production environments. You can download Moodle either as a ZIP or as a TGZ archive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-downloads-1024x414.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Extract the archive on your local computer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
If you use SPanel, you can extract the archive straight on the server, but we’ll first unpack it locally to save storage space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/extract-moodle.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Connect to your hosting account via an FTP client.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Our next step is to upload the files to your hosting account. To do that, you need to connect to the server via an FTP client like FileZilla<\/strong>. If you’re unsure what login credentials you need, use the ones you received in your welcome email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/filezilla-1024x560.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Upload the Moodle files to your hosting account.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
In the left-hand pane, the files and folders are stored on your local hard drive. Navigate to the folder hosting the Moodle files you extracted a minute ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the right, you have the contents of your hosting account. Go to the directory that will host your Moodle installation. If you want to host it in your domain’s document root, open the public_html<\/em><\/strong> folder.On the left, select all the files and folders you extracted from the archive and press Enter<\/strong>. FileZilla will start uploading them to the server folder in the right-hand pane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/uploading-moodle-1024x455.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Open a browser, enter the installation URL, and start the Wizard.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
After you choose your preferred language for Moodle’s interface, you’ll have to confirm the installation URL and the file and data directories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-confirm-paths-1024x583.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMoodle then asks what database management system you use. If you’re unsure, ask your hosting provider’s support team. If you’re deploying the LMS on a VPS from ScalaHosting, you need to choose MariaDB<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-database-server-1024x382.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAfter you click Next<\/strong>, the Wizard will ask you for the database details. Leave the page as it is for now and open a new browser tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Create a new database and user.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
In the new tab, log in to your control panel and open the utility that helps you manage MySQL databases and users. If you use SPanel, the tool is located under the Databases <\/strong>section on the homepage of the User Interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/spanel-databases.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nClick Create a Database or a User<\/strong> and select the Create a user <\/strong>checkbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/create-database-1024x380.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEnter a name for the database and a username for the MySQL user. SPanel has pre-generated a password for the user. Copy it and store it in a safe place, as we’ll need it in a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Access Type<\/strong>, click the Local<\/strong> option, and make sure the checkbox that assigns the user to the database is selected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-database-1024x676.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA few seconds after you click Submit<\/strong>, the database and user will be ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Enter the database details into the installation Wizard.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
It’s now time to return to the installation Wizard and enter the database details into the respective fields. The information you need is the database name, the MySQL user’s username, and the password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-database-settings-1024x658.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAll other fields can remain as they are. Click Next<\/strong> to continue with the installation’s final steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Finalize the installation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
After the database settings have been configured, the installation wizard will display a copyright notice. When you accept it, it will make a few checks to ensure all required PHP extensions and settings are present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-server-checks-1024x789.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe wizard proceeds to install Moodle and all its modules. Quite a few modules must be set up, so don’t be alarmed if the process takes longer. When it’s done, you will see a long list of all the items that have been successfully installed. At the bottom, a Continue <\/strong>button leads you to the final step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Create your admin account and configure the site details.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The final form allows you to create your admin account. You can fill out quite a few fields, but the required ones are marked with a red exclamation mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/create-admin-account-960x1024.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOnce you have created the admin account, you can set up the project itself. The wizard lets you configure things like the site name, time zone, registration mechanism, support email address, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/site-settings-1024x852.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhen you’re done, click Save Changes<\/strong>. You’ll be redirected to Moodle and logged in to your admin account, so you can start work on your project immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Install Moodle on Your Computer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are a few reasons why you may be reluctant to install Moodle straight on your hosting account. For example, you may not be entirely sure whether this is the most suitable app for your site or prefer to get used to the interface before you start working in production. If you have other projects running on your hosting account, you wouldn’t want to put additional load on the server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all these scenarios, it makes sense to install Moodle on your local computer first. That’s what we’re about to do right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Essentially, we’ll be performing a manual installation, but in the local environment, we’ll use different tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Install XAMPP<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
You can’t just download Moodle and expect it to work on your computer. Your local machine lacks a few key components, namely the web server software, the database management system, and the PHP interpreter. That’s why you need to install XAMPP <\/strong>on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
XAMPP is an open-source web server solution stack<\/strong>. It combines all the technologies you need to run an application like Moodle on your computer. In fact, that’s where the abbreviation comes from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Install XAMPP<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Create your admin account and configure the site details.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Finalize the installation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Enter the database details into the installation Wizard.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Create a new database and user.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Open a browser, enter the installation URL, and start the Wizard.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Upload the Moodle files to your hosting account.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Connect to your hosting account via an FTP client.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Extract the archive on your local computer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Head to the official Moodle website<\/strong><\/a> and download the LMS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Click Install<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Click Install Now <\/strong>and configure the installation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Type Moodle<\/strong> in the search box and open the app’s overview.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Open Softaculous from SPanel’s User Interface.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Easy management<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- An optimized hosting environment<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Infinite scalability<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Guaranteed resources<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/xampp.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/extract-moodle-files-1.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moodle-data-folder-1024x613.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/create-database-phpmyadmin-1024x359.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/confirm-paths-1-1024x583.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/choose-database-management-system-1024x382.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/database-settings-1024x713.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/installation-errors-1024x495.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n