What is a Web Application?
In general terms, a web application is a piece of software that runs on a web server. A web server is just a specialized computer designed to host websites. With this account you are given your own web hosting so you can access a web server to host your own websites.
You can create a website from scratch by writing code yourself, or you can use a web application to help you structure and publish a website. Web applications can be used for content management, word processing, community building and much more.
Most web applications have two parts: files and a database. When you install a web application, you will need to make sure all of the files are copied over into the appropriate location and that a database (and database user) has been set up to connect to those files. Often, you will have to do some configuration to make sure the application knows how to access the database.
While that may sound like a lot to keep track of, a lot of the creation and setup is thankfully automated! Your hosting account uses a special script installer called Installatron (in cPanel) that allows you to automatically install a range of open source applications with one click. When you use Installatron, you don’t need to worry about moving files, creating databases, or doing the initial set up. It’s all done for you!
Note: In order for web applications to run properly in this environment, they must be able to run on a LAMP server (the particular kind of web server that we use). Occasionally, a web application may require additional components or modules that need to be installed on the server. You can always reach out if you have any questions about compatibility.
Applications available in Installatron
Installatron, the script installer that is part of your cPanel, allows you to easily install Web Applications on your domain.
Your applications will be displayed in groups depending on their function. These functions are:
- Community Building
- Content Management
- eCommerce and Business
- Photos and Files
- Surveys and Statistics
- Miscellaneous
Once in your cPanel, they will look like this:
As you can see, there are quite a few available options for you to play around with! If you feel overwhelmed by the choices, consider starting with one of the Featured Applications.
Installing a web application with Installatron
To get started you’ll need to first log into your account.
In the ‘Applications’ section in your cPanel you can either choose a popular web application or click through to view ‘All Applications’ and choose a web application from the full range in Installatron.
After clicking the application of your choice, a page will appear with information about the application, links to resources and a link to install it. Click Install this application when you are ready.
The following page will allow you to choose/change where you want the application to be installed, how you want updates to be handled, and other application-specific settings. The screenshot below shows an example of what these settings might look like.
- Location: You’ll need to choose where to install your new application. You can install it at the root of your domain or in a subdomain (which you need to set up first). In addition, you can place your application in a subdirectory.
- Version Information: You can choose a version of the application. Generally, we recommend choosing the default version. It is likely to be the most recent, stable release.
- Updates: By default, the system is set up to automatically upgrade (and create backups upon upgrading) all applications. In addition, by default, the database will be set up for you automatically. We recommend NOT changing these options.
- Username/Password: An username/password will be automatically generated for you. You can choose to change these to something more memorable if you’d like, as these credentials will allow you to log in directly to the application’s dashboard.
- Website Title: Pick a title for the site that will be created when you install your application. You should change this from the default title!
Once your Installatron settings are configured, click Install.
After installation, you’ll be taken back to the main Installatron page, with details about the application you just installed. At anytime you can come back here to review the application details, back it up manually, clone it or uninstall it. All installed applications will be found under My Apps.
