Prepare for Install

If you don’t have a OpenCart website and want to install OpenCart from scratch, this guide is for you.

You will need to complete two tasks before you can install OpenCart on your server. First, you will need to download the OpenCart package files. Next, you will need to have a database for OpenCart use.

Creating a database

Once you’ve completed uploading the files to a hosting-server, you should prepare an empty database for your OpenCart website. It should be created with the help of the database management tool in Hosting CPanel [the PhpMyAdmin typically].

Follow the simple instructions to create a new database through the phpMyAdmin [check the slides below]:

  1. In order to access the list of databases, press the “Database” button in the top navigation menu.
  2. Input the database name in the “Create new database” field.
  3. Press the “Create” button.

You will see the new database in the listing. Click on the database name link in order to get access to the one.

Check the instruction accompanied by the illustrations [click on switches to move on]:

Feel free to check the detailed guide How to create a database. Should there be any issues when database creating, please contact your hosting provider to assist.

Downloading and Uploading OpenCart Package Files

  1. Download the current release of OpenCart 3.x
  2. Move the downloaded OpenCart installation package to the server. Use a FTP Client to transfer the OpenCart 3.x files to your server. There are several available for use, here is a detailed list of FTP Clients. Please make sure you are using a FTP client’s official release.

Hint – This can be accomplished by simply moving the downloaded package to your server, then unpacking it. Or you can unpack the files on your local computer, then move the OpenCart installation over to your server. Either way, the OpenCart installation needs to be unpacked in the root of your site.

The “root” of your site is the public folder where all web page files are stored so that a user can view the site examples include public_html and htdocs. What your Host uses depends on them.