How to Install WordPress

WordPress is the open-source content management system (CMS) that the Shock theme runs on. Before you can install and activate Shock, you need a working WordPress installation. This guide walks you through the whole process, from picking a host to logging in for the first time.

Prefer a one-click install?

Most hosting providers offer an automatic WordPress installer (often called “Softaculous”, “WordPress Toolkit”, or “One-Click Install”) in their control panel. If yours does, use it — it handles the database and file setup for you, and you can skip straight to Install the Theme.

Manual installation

Follow these steps to install WordPress by hand. It is the classic “famous 5-minute install”.

1. Choose a hosting provider.

   You need a host to store your website’s files. Popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, and Hostinger. Pick a plan that fits your needs and register a domain name if you don’t already have one.

2. Download WordPress.

   Visit the official WordPress.org website and download the latest version. The download arrives as a .zip file.

3. Upload WordPress to your host.

   Connect to your server with an FTP client such as FileZilla using the credentials your host provided. Navigate to your site’s root directory (usually public_html or www), upload the WordPress files, and extract the archive there.

4. Create a MySQL database.

   In your hosting control panel (such as cPanel), open the MySQL Databases section. Create a new database and a database user, then grant that user all privileges on the database. Note down the database name, username, and password — you’ll need them next.

5. Run the configuration wizard.

   Open your website URL in a browser. Select your language, click Let’s go, and enter the database name, username, and password you just created. Set the Database Host to localhost if the database lives on the same server, and leave the table prefix as wp_ unless you want to change it for security reasons.

6. Complete the installation.

   Fill in the remaining details, then click Install WordPress:

   • Site Title — your website’s name.
   • Username — the admin username for logging in.
   • Password — a strong password for your admin account.
   • Your Email — an address for administrative notifications.

   Tick “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” if you’re not ready to go live yet.

7. Log in to your dashboard.

   Click Log In, enter the username and password you chose, and you’ll land on the WordPress admin dashboard at yourdomain.com/wp-admin.

What’s next?

Congratulations — WordPress is installed! Before importing the Shock demo, confirm your host meets the recommended limits, then install the theme.

• Server Requirements — the PHP and server values Shock runs best on.
• Install the Theme — upload and activate Shock.
• Required Plugins — the plugins Shock needs once it’s active.