Web Applications Installation Tutorial

Web Applications Installation Tutorial

How to install web applications

After you have a HostKnox hosting account you can either transfer an existing site to it or you can create a new site(s). One of the easiest and most user-friendly ways of building a new site is to use a web application. There are many open source (free) applications for creating sites. With the help of such an application you can create a site without having knowledge of any programming language.


Free Script Installation from HostKnox - get a hosting plan and have our specialists take care of installing a web application for you at no additional cost.

To request a free installation of an application simply send a ticket to the support team. You can do this from the Client Area. For more information check out the tutorial on how to submit and manage support tickets.

Choosing a Web Application

There are many different applications for creating sites. Some of the most popular are: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, PrestaShop, phpBB and many others. When choosing an application you have to consider what type of site you want to create. Whether you want to build just a regular site with some content, whether you want to create a blog, a forum or an online shop.

Most applications can be used for any of these purposes but some are designed primarily for creating particular types of sites. For example, the accent with WordPress is on creating a blog, Magento and PrestaShop are used for creating a web store, phpBB is used specifically for creating a forum, while SugarCRM is a customer relationship management application that is used for sales, marketing, etc. Of course, this doesn't mean that you can't use Joomla or Drupal for creating a blog, or that you can't use WordPress, Joomla and Drupal for creating a store. With the appropriate extensions for these applications you can do that as well.

Installing a Web Application

When it comes to installing an application each particular one has its own requirements and steps that have to be followed. However, there are some general things that apply to all:

  • You need an installation package for the particular application. This can be downloaded from the official site of the application. The installation package is offered for downloading as an archive. Usually it's in ZIP format but for some of the applications it's also offered in other formats (e.g. GZIP, BZIP2).

  • After you download the installation package on your local computer you have to upload it to your hosting account. You have the choice to unzip the archive before uploading it and then use an FTP client (e.g. FileZilla) to upload the unpacked files and folders on your hosting account, or alternatively you can upload the archived package on your hosting account and then unzip it there. The second method is much quicker. You can upload the package with an FTP client or through the Files section of the HostKnox control panel. You can then unzip it from the Files section of the HostKnox control panel; just highlight the archive by clicking with the left mouse button next to its name (not directly on the name of the archive) and then click on the Unpack button that appears in the black area on the right.

  • Before you begin the actual installation you'll also need a database for it. You can create and manage databases from the Databases section of the HostKnox control panel.

  • After you have completed all these steps you have to access with your web browser the URL address corresponding to the location of the application on your hosting account. Then just follow the instructions on the screen.

We have detailed installation tutorials for some of the most popular applications. So depending on the application that you choose to use you can follow the instructions in the respective tutorial:

In addition to the installation tutorial for each application there are also tutorials for managing and using that application. Just check the relative section of the tutorials page on the HostKnox site.