Drupal 8 Installation Tutorial, Lesson 1: Introducing and Downloading Drupal
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Introduction to Installing Drupal 8
Hello, I’m Robert Ring with OS training, and I am thrilled to be collaborating with InMotion Hosting to bring you this tutorial on the first step to creating a Drupal 8 site – installing Drupal 8. Special thanks to InMotion Hosting for providing the server space used in this tutorial. Before we dive into the usual method of installing Drupal 8, I want to mention that sometimes InMotion and other web hosts offer what are known as one-click install scripts for various Content Management Systems like Drupal. These scripts can typically be found at the bottom of your hosting account’s C panel page. As of now, InMotion does not have a one-click install script for Drupal 8, but keep in mind that it may be available in the future. If you find the initial steps of installing a CMS daunting, you can use this alternative method, which will guide you through most of the process we will cover in this tutorial.
Downloading Drupal 8
To begin the process of installing Drupal 8, you will need to download the latest version of Drupal from drupal.org. Simply visit the website and click on the “Download & Extend” section. Drupal, like many other open-source CMS platforms, is free to download, so you don’t need to worry about any costs. Once you are in the “Download & Extend” section, you will find a big green box that says “Download Drupal.” Click on this button to download the latest production-ready version of Drupal. If you need a different major version of Drupal, such as Drupal 7, or in the future, Drupal 9, you can find them under the “Other Releases” tab. Make sure to select the most recent version available.
After clicking on the download button, you will be directed to the main Drupal 8 download page. Here, you will see the options to download Drupal core in either tar.gz or zip format. Choose the version that is compatible with your operating system and click “Download.” Save the file to your desktop or a location of your choice on your local computer. Remember, at this stage, you are downloading Drupal to your personal computer and not uploading it to your server environment.
Setting up your Server Environment
Before you can start installing Drupal 8 on your server, you need to ensure that your server environment meets the necessary requirements. Drupal 8 has specific requirements that your server must fulfill for the installation process to run smoothly. These requirements include a web server (Apache, Nginx, etc.), a database server (MySQL, MariaDB, etc.), PHP, and other necessary server configurations.
If you are using InMotion Hosting, they provide an ideal environment for running Drupal 8. InMotion’s servers are optimized to support Drupal and other CMS platforms efficiently. However, if you are using a different hosting provider, make sure to check their documentation or contact their support team to confirm that your server environment meets the Drupal 8 requirements.
Transferring Drupal to your Server
Once you have downloaded Drupal 8 and confirmed that your server environment meets the necessary requirements, it’s time to transfer the files to your server. You can do this through FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or using a file manager provided by your hosting control panel. Access your hosting account’s control panel (C panel) and locate the file manager or FTP section.
Navigate to the directory where you want to install Drupal 8 on your server. This is typically the public_html directory, but it may vary depending on your hosting setup. Upload the downloaded Drupal file to this directory. Once the file transfer is complete, extract the contents of the zip or tar.gz file. This will create a folder containing all the necessary files for Drupal 8.
Creating a Database for Drupal
Before you can proceed with the installation of Drupal 8, you need to create a database where Drupal can store its content and settings. Access your hosting account’s control panel and locate the database management section. Create a new MySQL database, along with a username and password for accessing the database.
After creating the database, assign the newly created user to the database and grant them all privileges. Make a note of the database name, username, and password, as you will need these details during the Drupal installation process.
Installing Drupal 8
With the necessary preparations completed, you can now proceed with installing Drupal 8 on your server. Open your web browser and enter the URL where you uploaded the Drupal files. This will initiate the Drupal installation process. Choose your preferred language and click on the “Save and continue” button.
In the next step, Drupal will verify if your server meets all the requirements for running Drupal 8. If any issues are detected, you will need to resolve them before proceeding with the installation. Assuming all requirements are met, click on the “Save and continue” button to proceed.
Next, you will reach the database configuration page. Enter the database name, username, and password that you created earlier. Click on the “Save and continue” button to connect Drupal to your database.
Drupal will now begin the installation process, which may take a few minutes. Once the installation is complete, you will be prompted to set up your site information, such as the site name, email address, and administrator username and password. Fill in these details and click on the “Save and continue” button.
Congratulations, you have successfully installed Drupal 8 on your server! You can now log in to your Drupal dashboard and start customizing your website.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we covered the step-by-step process of installing Drupal 8 on your server. By following these instructions, you should now have a fully functional Drupal 8 website up and running. Remember to regularly update Drupal and your server environment to ensure optimal performance and security. If you encounter any issues during the installation process, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from your hosting provider or the Drupal community. Happy website building!
