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?

• Greater control over version selection.

• Works on unmanaged servers without cPanel/Softaculous.

• Useful for developers who want custom setups.

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:

     Bash
     
     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:

     Bash
     
     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.