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Installing MediaWiki manually

MediaWiki is the open‑source wiki platform that powers Wikipedia. While Softaculous can automate installation, you may sometimes need to install it manually for example, if you want a specific version or are working on an unmanaged server.

Why Install Manually?

Section titled “Why Install Manually?”
  • Greater control over version selection.
  • Works on unmanaged servers without cPanel/Softaculous.
  • Useful for developers who want custom setups.

Steps to Install MediaWiki Manually

Section titled “Steps to Install MediaWiki Manually”

  1. Download MediaWiki.

    • Visit the official MediaWiki download page.
    • Download the latest .tar.gz file to your computer.

  2. Upload Files to Hosting Account.

    • Use FTP or SCP to upload the .tar.gz file to your hosting account.

  3. Extract Files.

    • Log in via SSH.

    • Navigate to the directory where you uploaded the file.

    • Run:

      Terminal window
      tar xvzf mediawiki-x.y.z.tar.gz

    • Replace x.y.z with the version number.

  4. Move Files to Web Directory.

    • Copy the extracted files into your web root:

      Terminal window
      cp -R mediawiki-x.y.z/. ~/public_html

    • If you want MediaWiki in a subdirectory, adjust the destination path (e.g., ~/public_html/wiki).

    • On unmanaged servers, the document root may be /var/www/html.

  5. Create a MySQL Database and User.

    • In cPanel, use the MySQL Database Wizard.
    • Or, on unmanaged servers, create a database and user from the command line.
    • Note the database name, username, and password.

  6. Run the Web Installer.

    • In your browser, go to your domain (e.g., http://example.com).

    • MediaWiki will detect missing configuration and prompt you to set up the wiki.

    • Provide:

      • Language preference.
      • Database details (host: localhost, name, user, password).
      • Wiki name.
      • Admin account credentials.
      • Optional extensions and settings.

  7. Save Configuration File.

    • At the end of installation, MediaWiki generates a LocalSettings.php file.
    • Download it to your computer.
    • Upload it via FTP/SCP to the directory where MediaWiki is installed.

  8. Access Your Wiki.

    • Visit your domain again.
    • Log in with the admin account you created.
    • Your wiki is now ready to use.