Knowledge Base

WordPress is an open-source, free, and easy-to-use content management system (CMS) that forms the foundation of a large majority of websites worldwide. It can be used for a wide range of purposes, from blogs to e-commerce sites, corporate websites to portfolio sites. In this guide, we will discuss in detail how to install WordPress using different methods, what to pay attention to before and after installation, potential problems, and their solutions.

1. Introduction to WordPress: Basic Concepts

1.1. What is WordPress?

WordPress is a CMS developed using PHP and MySQL, allowing users to easily create, manage, and publish content. Being open-source, it allows developers and designers to customize WordPress according to their needs.

1.2. Difference Between WordPress.com and WordPress.org

WordPress.com is an automatically hosted platform. It is easy to use but has limited customization options. It has a free plan, but you need to switch to paid plans for more features and customization. WordPress.org, on the other hand, is the open-source WordPress software that you host on your own hosting account. It offers full control and customization, but the responsibility for installation and maintenance lies with you.

1.3. Why Should You Use WordPress?

• Ease of Use: Thanks to its intuitive interface, you can create and manage content without needing technical knowledge.
• Flexibility and Customization: You can customize your website as you wish thanks to thousands of themes and plugins.
• SEO Friendly: It can be easily indexed by search engines and offers many tools for SEO optimization.
• Large Community: It has a large and active community, which means you can find quick solutions to your problems.
• Free and Open Source: WordPress software is free, and since it is open source, you can modify it as you wish.

2. Preparation Before Installation

2.1. Hosting Selection

Choosing the right hosting provider is critical for the performance and security of your WordPress website. Consider the following factors when choosing a hosting:

• Server Location: Choosing a server location close to your target audience will increase your website's speed.
• Disk Space and Bandwidth: Estimate the disk space and bandwidth your website will need.
• Uptime Guarantee: A hosting provider offering a high uptime guarantee ensures that your website is constantly accessible.
• Support: Choosing a hosting provider that offers 24/7 technical support helps you find quick solutions to potential problems.
• WordPress Compatibility: The hosting provider offering servers optimized for WordPress improves your website's performance.

Some of the popular hosting providers include:

• Eka Sunucu
• SiteGround
• HostGator
• DreamHost
• Namecheap

2.2. Domain Name Registration

A domain name is your website's address on the internet. Be sure to choose a domain name that is memorable, reflects your brand name, and is easy to spell. You can follow the steps below to register a domain name:

1. Choose a domain name registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains).
2. Check if the domain name you want is available.
3. Register the domain name and complete the payment process.
4. Point your domain name to your hosting account (by configuring DNS settings).

2.3. Database Creation

WordPress needs a database to store its data. You need to create a MySQL database from your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel, Plesk). Note the following information when creating a database:

• Database Name
• Database Username
• Database Password
• Database Server (Usually "localhost")

3. WordPress Installation Methods

3.1. One-Click Installation (Softaculous, Installatron)

Most hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installation through control panels such as cPanel or Plesk. This method greatly simplifies the installation process and does not require technical knowledge.

1. Log in to your hosting control panel.
2. Find an application installer such as "Softaculous", "Installatron" or similar.
3. Select WordPress and follow the installation wizard.
4. Enter the required information (site name, username, password, etc.) and complete the installation.

3.2. Manual Installation

If one-click installation is not possible or you want more control, you can install WordPress manually. This method requires a little more technical knowledge but offers a more flexible installation process.

1. Download the latest version of WordPress from WordPress.org.
2. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to your computer.
3. Using an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla), upload the WordPress files to the public_html (or www) directory of your hosting account.
4. Visit your domain name in your web browser. The WordPress installation wizard will start automatically.
5. Enter your database information (database name, username, password, server) and complete the installation.
6. Determine your site title, username, and password.

// wp-config.php example (database information)
define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'username' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'password' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

3.3. Installation with WordPress CLI (WP-CLI)

WP-CLI is a tool that allows you to manage WordPress from the command line. It is ideal for advanced users and developers.

1. Connect to your server via SSH.
2. Make sure WP-CLI is installed. If not, follow the installation instructions from the WP-CLI website.
3. Download WordPress: wp core download
4. Create the wp-config.php file with the command: wp core config --dbname=database_name --dbuser=username --dbpass=password --dbhost=localhost
5. Install WordPress with the command: wp core install --title="Site Title" --admin_user=admin --admin_password=password [email protected]

4. Post-Installation Configuration

4.1. Logging into the Administration Panel

After the WordPress installation is complete, you can log into the administration panel (usually yourdomain.com/wp-admin) with your username and password.

4.2. General Settings

In the administration panel, go to "Settings" -> "General" to configure the following settings:

• Site Title: Enter the title of your website.
• Tagline: Enter a short description of your website.
• WordPress Address (URL): Enter the URL of the directory where the WordPress files are located.
• Site Address (URL): Enter the URL of your website that will be visible to visitors.
• E-mail Address: Enter the e-mail address to which administration e-mails will be sent.
• Membership: Check this option if you want to allow new users to register on your website.
• Language: Select the language of your website.
• Timezone: Select the timezone of your website.
• Date Format: Choose how dates will be displayed.
• Time Format: Choose how time will be displayed.
• Week Starts On: Choose which day the week starts on.

4.3. Permalinks

Permalinks are the URL structures of pages and posts on your website. They are an important factor for SEO. You can select one of the following options by going to "Settings" -> "Permalinks":

• Plain: Example: yourdomain.com/?p=123
• Day and Name: Example: yourdomain.com/2023/10/27/sample-post/
• Month and Name: Example: yourdomain.com/2023/10/sample-post/
• Numeric: Example: yourdomain.com/archives/123
• Post Name: Example: yourdomain.com/sample-post/ (Recommended)
• Custom Structure: You can define the URL structure yourself.

The "Post Name" option is the most suitable for SEO.

4.4. Theme Selection and Installation

The theme determines the appearance and design of your website. WordPress offers thousands of themes, both free and paid. You can search for, install, and activate a new theme by going to "Appearance" -> "Themes".

4.5. Plugin Installation

Plugins are small software programs that enhance the functionality of WordPress. There are many different plugins available, such as contact forms, SEO tools, and security plugins. You can search for, install, and activate a new plugin by going to "Plugins" -> "Add New".

5. Important WordPress Plugins

5.1. SEO Plugins

• Yoast SEO: Helps you optimize your website's SEO. It offers many features such as title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword analysis.
• Rank Math: Offers similar features to Yoast SEO and has an easy-to-use interface.
• All in One SEO Pack: It is a comprehensive SEO plugin and includes many different features.

5.2. Security Plugins

• Wordfence Security: Protects your website against malware, attacks, and other security threats.
• Sucuri Security: Offers features such as security scanning, firewall, and malware removal.
• iThemes Security: Offers many different tools to increase the security of your website.

5.3. Performance Plugins

• WP Rocket: Performs caching, file optimization, and other technical optimizations to increase the speed and performance of your website.
• LiteSpeed Cache: A caching plugin compatible with LiteSpeed servers.
• W3 Total Cache: It is a comprehensive caching plugin and includes many different features.

5.4. Other Useful Plugins

• Contact Form 7: Allows you to add contact forms to your website.
• Akismet Anti-Spam: Blocks comment spam.
• Elementor/Beaver Builder: Allows you to create pages with a drag-and-drop interface.

6. WordPress Security

6.1. Use Strong Passwords

Use strong and unique passwords for your WordPress account and database users. Be sure to use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols in your passwords.

6.2. Keep WordPress and Plugins Updated

Using the latest versions of WordPress and your plugins helps you close security vulnerabilities and increase the security of your website. Check for and install updates regularly.

6.3. Use a Security Plugin

Protect your website against malware, attacks, and other security threats by using a security plugin such as Wordfence Security, Sucuri Security, or iThemes Security.

6.4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security when logging into your account. You can enable this feature by using a 2FA plugin.

6.5. Take Database Backups

Take regular backups of your website's database. You can restore your data in the event of a security breach or data loss.

6.6. Remove Unnecessary Plugins and Themes

Remove unused plugins and themes from your website. This helps you reduce security vulnerabilities and improve your website's performance.

7. WordPress Optimization

7.1. Optimize Images

Optimizing the images on your website helps you increase page loading speed. Compress images and use them in the correct sizes. You can use tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim.

7.2. Use a Caching Plugin

Increase the speed and performance of your website by using a caching plugin such as WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, or W3 Total Cache.

7.3. Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A CDN stores your website's content on different servers, allowing it to be served to visitors from the server closest to them. This significantly increases page loading speed. You can use CDN services like Cloudflare or MaxCDN.

7.4. Clean the Database

Clean and optimize your database regularly. You can use plugins like WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner.

7.5. Enable Gzip Compression

Gzip compression compresses your website's files, reducing their size and increasing page loading speed. You can enable Gzip compression by adding the following code to your .htaccess file:

  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript

8. Real-Life Examples and Case Studies

8.1. Small Business Website

A local restaurant created a simple and effective website using WordPress. They reached more customers by optimizing their local SEO with the Yoast SEO plugin. They facilitated reservations with Contact Form 7.

8.2. E-commerce Site

A clothing store set up an e-commerce site on WordPress with the WooCommerce plugin. They increased conversion rates by increasing site speed with WP Rocket. They ensured site security with Sucuri Security.

8.3. Blog Site

A travel blogger created a personal blog site using WordPress. They designed visually appealing pages with Elementor. They prevented comment spam with Akismet Anti-Spam.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

• 9.1. Is WordPress free?
• Yes, WordPress software is free. However, you need to pay for hosting and a domain name.
• 9.2. Is WordPress difficult to learn?
• No, WordPress is easy to learn. It has an intuitive interface and many resources are available.
• 9.3. What types of websites can I create with WordPress?
• You can create blogs, e-commerce sites, corporate websites, portfolio sites, and many other different types of websites with WordPress.
• 9.4. How do I update WordPress?
• You can update WordPress and your plugins from the "Updates" section in your admin panel.
• 9.5. How do I change the theme in WordPress?
• You can select and activate a new theme from the "Appearance" -> "Themes" section in your admin panel.
• 9.6. How do I install a plugin in WordPress?
• You can search for and install a new plugin from the "Plugins" -> "Add New" section in your admin panel.

10. Conclusion and Summary

WordPress is a powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use CMS. In this guide, we have covered in detail how to install WordPress using different methods, how to configure it after installation, how to secure it, and how to optimize its performance. You have all the information you need to create the website of your dreams with WordPress. Remember, regularly checking for updates, using strong passwords, and taking security measures are critical to the security of your website.