How to install Joomla…fresh install

The main keywords associated to Joomla! CMS (Content Management System), are the following: “It’s easy!”. So feel free to browse through the next installation steps, to find out just how easy it is…

1. Download Joomla

The first thing you should do is to go to the Joomla web site to download yourself a fresh install, and just so you don’t have any difficulties in doing that, here you have the link: http://www.joomla.org/. Save the .zip file on your desktop and unzip it. There are no concerns about the unzipping program of your choice. Your preferred one should do the trick. Now you should have the Joomla install ready in a folder on your desktop.

2. Put the folders in the right place

Well, this second step has a slightly different approach, depending on weather you want to run Joomla on the web, or on your localhost.
For the first situation, login to your FTP program and, once you are there browse through the files until you reach the public_html directory. As you probably guessed by now, the next step is to take everything from your unzipped file on the desktop and move it to the public_html directory. This should be done, if you want that after the install process, everything should appear under your own web domain. If this does not appeal to you, and you want it arranged in a sub-directory, just drag it in the desired location and do the upload. The path should look something like http://www.domain.com/Joomla/. If all this is done on localhost and you are using Apache server in some sort of AMP combo, then just drag the content of the Joomla directory to the root, or any sub-directory that you prefer.

3. Setup your MySQL Database

For the eloquence of the example, I’ll once again refer to a type of AMP combo, but keep in mind that the process is similar, whatever the situation. Go to the MySQL section, and once you got there, create a database for Joomla!. Please make sure that you give it a suggestive name (joomladb would be a good example). After you have done this, please don’t forget to create an username and a password to use with the database (make the names suggestive, and write them down in order not to forget them). And of course, for linking all the steps, don’t forget to assign the user to the database you created. A button as “Add User To Database:” should do the trick. Another option that you have to take into account is the “All Privileges” checkbox. Make sure you tick it, if it isn’t ticked by default.

4. Return to Joomla for Setup

Now let’s get back to effectively “building” Joomla!. Make sure you allow enough time for the files to upload on your private hosting account. Now would be a good time to remember where you placed all the files. If you just left them into the public_html directory, it’s easy. You should go to your web domain, and after it loads, you will see the first page of the Joomla installer.
This first page should just be verifying to see that everything is setup correctly. If not, you might want to go back, fix any problems and try again. If you make it past that screen then you will be able to go to screen number two.
Here you read the GNU/GPL license. Hit next after your done with that to move to screen three.
Next, we’ll have to link this with the database. Go back to the MySQL details you wrote earlier (hostname, username, password). Fill them in here. The “hostname” should be localhost. The “username” should be the user name you created when completing your MySQL settings. Same goes for database and password - jot in the names you created back when setting up the MySQL database.
Now for “MySQL Table Prefix”, you should already have a default option completed (jos_), so just leave it as it is.
The rest of the install process is a piece of cake. Joomla also provides a great help section, just in case you’re in a slump.
You’ll still have to fill in or setup a few more specifications, but they are easy. Keep in mind the administration user name and password Joomla assigns to you. You’re free to change it afterwards, but you will need it to login for the first time to the admin interface of Joomla. And that’s about it.