Setting Up a WordPress Site

Topics Covered in This WordPress Tutorial:

Creating a Database, Installing WordPress.org Files

Exercise Preview

Exercise Overview

WordPress has evolved far beyond its blogging roots to become the web's most powerful and flexible Content Management System (CMS). In this exercise, we'll harness that power to build a fully dynamic website with both static pages and blog functionality. This approach gives you complete editorial control over every aspect of your site while maintaining the robust content management capabilities that have made WordPress the platform of choice for over 40% of all websites worldwide. Before we can begin crafting our site, we need to establish the foundational database that will store all of our content, user data, and configuration settings.

1. To set up a database, start your server and open phpMyAdmin, as shown below:

Installing WordPress

With our database foundation in place, we're ready to deploy the WordPress core files. While we've provided a specific WordPress version for this tutorial to ensure consistency across all learners, it's worth noting that in professional environments, you should always download the latest stable release from WordPress.org. WordPress releases security updates and feature enhancements regularly, and staying current is crucial for both functionality and security. The installation process we're about to complete mirrors exactly what you'd do when launching a live site, making this exercise invaluable real-world preparation.

1. Navigate to the Desktop, go into the Class Files folder, then the WordPress.org Class folder.

2. Select the WordPress-4.1 folder and hit Cmd–C (Mac) or CTRL–C (Windows).

3. Go to the htdocs folder:
   • Mac: Hard Drive > Applications > MAMP > htdocs
   • Windows: C: > xampp > htdocs

4. Hit Cmd–V (Mac) or CTRL–V (Windows) to paste the WordPress-4.1 folder.

5. Rename the new pasted folder mrp

Creating a Wp-config.php File

Now comes the critical step of connecting WordPress to our database through the wp-config.php file. This configuration file serves as the bridge between your WordPress installation and your MySQL database, containing essential connection parameters and security keys. Think of it as WordPress's passport—without it, the system cannot access the data it needs to function. The setup wizard we're about to use will generate this file automatically, but understanding these database credentials is essential for troubleshooting and future site management.

1. Open your favorite browser and go to:
   • Mac: localhost:8888/mrp
   • Windows: localhost/mrp

2. English (United States) should be selected, so click Continue.

3. Click the Let's go! button at the bottom of the page.

4. Enter the following database information:

   Mac
   

   Database Name:	mrp
   User Name:	root
   Password:	root
   Database Host:	localhost
   Table Prefix:	wp_

   Windows
   

   Database Name:	mrp
   User Name:	root
   Password:	(leave blank for local install)
   Database Host:	localhost
   Table Prefix:	wp_

   NOTE: These credentials are specific to your local development environment. In production environments, your hosting provider will supply unique database credentials that differ significantly from these default local settings for security purposes.

5. Click Submit.

6. Click Run the install.

7. For Site Title, enter: Monteith Restoration & Performance

8. For Username, enter: mrpAdmin

9. For Password, enter and re-enter: student

10. For Your Email, enter an email address that can be accessed for the remainder of the class. Make sure to double-check the address before submitting the form.

11. Uncheck Allow search engines to index this site.

12. Click the Install WordPress button.

13. Click the Log In button.

14. For Username, enter: mrpAdmin

15. For Password, enter: student

16. Click Log in.

    Congratulations! You've successfully installed WordPress and will now be taken to the Dashboard of Monteith Restoration & Performance. This administrative interface is your command center for managing content, customizing appearance, installing plugins, and monitoring site performance. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the navigation structure—this Dashboard will become your primary workspace as we build out the full functionality of your new WordPress-powered website.