Installing Drupal and checking the first setup

Distinguish Drupal Core from a packaged Drupal CMS offering when choosing the installer entry. Check the supported core branch, PHP requirements, database requirements and module compatibility.

Use the project's current supported release information and the requirements shown for the package you select. If Softaculous offers an older or unsuitable build, follow the current vendor installation process or ask us to confirm a suitable environment. Do not enable an unsupported PHP runtime simply to reproduce an old tutorial.

1. Back up any existing site at the destination. Choose an empty directory or a separate staging hostname for a new installation; never approve overwriting a working site without a migration plan.
2. Open Softaculous where your hosting service includes it. In cPanel, search for Softaculous Apps Installer. In SiteWorx, use Hosting Features > Softaculous where that integration is enabled.
3. Find Drupal and review the package and requirements before selecting Install. Select the correct HTTPS domain. Leave In Directory empty only when the empty domain root is the intended destination.
4. Complete the application-specific fields and a strong administrator credential stored in a password manager. Supply a reachable administrative email where requested. Review database, backup and update choices instead of accepting unsuitable defaults.
5. Start installation once and wait for the completion result. Record the public and administration URLs. Where this application needs the publisher's own deployment process, complete that process instead of forcing an outdated installer package.

Plan content types, trusted host settings and user permissions. Configure the scheduled maintenance or cron mechanism according to the selected Drupal release. For a Composer-managed project, preserve its dependency files and use that deployment workflow for updates.

For a small events website, plan one content type with a title, event date, venue, description and image. Use fields appropriate to the installed Drupal version instead of placing every detail into one unstructured paragraph.

1. Create a harmless sample event through the authorised content interface.
2. Assign a limited editor the rights needed to create or edit that content, without broader site-administration privileges.
3. Check the event as the editor and as a guest. Confirm its published state, date, venue and image display as intended.
4. Change the test event date and verify the saved value is reflected wherever the site displays it.
5. Check the status report and scheduled maintenance after the initial setup.

This proves that the content model, editorial permissions and public display work together. Preserve the configured model and dependency files when designing the site's update and recovery process.

Create a test content item, upload an image, view it as a guest and review the status report. Confirm scheduled tasks run and that ordinary editors have only the intended permissions.

Do not downgrade to an unsupported old Drupal branch merely because it remains in an installer version list. Major upgrades and module replacements need their own tested migration plan.

Keep files and data together in your recovery plan, test application updates in a copy when practical, and review logs after deployment. If installation fails, record the exact error, selected application/PHP versions and destination path before retrying.

• Choosing and managing applications with Softaculous
• Opening Softaculous and finding your installations in cPanel
• Changing PHP versions, extensions and application limits
• Creating Web Hosting backups and planning a restore

• Softaculous installation workflow
• Softaculous cms catalogue