A guide for Web Developers: How to host your website with cPanel Web Hosting
cPanel is a popular web hosting control panel that provides a user-friendly interface for managing your website’s backend. While it doesn’t replace the need for coding skills, cPanel empowers developers to handle various hosting tasks efficiently. This tutorial dives into how web developers can leverage cPanel for website hosting.
Prerequisites
- A web hosting or reseller hosting account
- Your website’s files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.)
Steps
1. Uploading Website Files
- Access your cPanel dashboard using the login credentials provided by your web host.
- Locate the “File Manager” section. This is typically under the “Files” category.
- Within the File Manager, navigate to the “public_html” directory. This is the document root where your website’s main files reside.
- Upload your website’s files and folders using the upload options provided by the File Manager. You can drag-and-drop files or use the file selection interface.
2. Managing Databases
- If your website utilises a database (e.g., for user accounts, content management systems), you’ll need to create and manage it in cPanel.
- Navigate to the “Databases” section of cPanel. This might be under “MySQL Databases” or similar depending on your host.
- Create a new database by providing a name and clicking “Create Database”.
- Create a database user and assign appropriate privileges for your website’s needs.
3. Setting Up Domain Name
- Purchase a domain or point it from your registrar to our nameservers.
- If your website uses a domain name different from your main cPanel account domain, you’ll need to configure it.
- Go to the “Domains” section of cPanel and look for options like “Subdomains” or “Addon Domains”.
- Follow the instructions to create a subdomain or add an addon domain pointing to your website’s directory within the “public_html” folder.
4. Additional Considerations
- Error Pages: cPanel allows customising error pages like “404 Not Found”. You can upload your custom error pages to designated folders within the “public_html” directory.
- Security: Explore tools like password protection directories and hotlink protection for added security measures.
- Email Accounts: If your web hosting plan includes email, you can create email addresses for your domain through cPanel’s “Email” section.
Tips
- Before uploading your website, consider creating a backup of your local files.
- Leverage cPanel’s file manager features like editing tools for basic code tweaks directly on the server.
- Many web hosts offer tutorials and documentation specifically for their cPanel setup. Refer to their resources for additional guidance.
Beyond the Basics
- cPanel often integrates with one-click installers for popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress. This streamlines the installation process if your website utilises a CMS.
- Explore advanced cPanel features like cron jobs to automate tasks or manage server-side scripts.
By following these steps and exploring cPanel’s functionalities, web developers can effectively deploy and manage their websites on a cPanel-based web hosting platform. Remember, cPanel serves as a management tool, and your development skills remain crucial for building and maintaining your website’s core functionality.