> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installing CandyCane

> Learn how to install the bug tracking solution Candy Cane on your web hosting account. Just follow our easy, step-by-step instructions to get started.

This article describes how to manually install the CandyCane bug tracking system on your hosting.com account.

<Note>
  Information in this article about unmanaged dedicated servers is only for customers who purchased those plans before May 27, 2024. As of that date, unmanaged dedicated servers are no longer available.
</Note>

## Installing CandyCane

CandyCane is compatible with all hosting.com accounts.

<Note>
  Although hosting.com servers are compatible with a wide variety of software applications, we cannot provide troubleshooting assistance for application-specific issues.
</Note>

To install CandyCane manually, follow these steps:

1. Download the CandyCane installation.zip file at [https://yandod.github.io/candycane](https://yandod.github.io/candycane) to your local computer.

2. Extract the *.zip* file on your computer.

3. [Use FTP](/docs/using-ftp-file-transfer-protocol) to upload the contents of the extracted *candycane-x.y.z* directory to the *public\_html* directory of your hosting.com account.
   > 📘 Note
   >
   > * This step assumes that you want to install CandyCane in your account's document root directory. If you want to install CandyCane in a subdirectory instead, upload the files to the subdirectory instead.
   >
   > * If you have an unmanaged product (such as an unmanaged VPS or an unmanaged dedicated server), your document root directory may be in a different directory, such as */var/www/html*. Consult your Linux distribution's documentation for the document root directory location.

4. Create a MySQL database and database user for CandyCane. You will need this information during the web configuration process.

   > 📘 Note
   >
   > * If your account includes cPanel, please see [this article](/docs/managing-mysql-databases)for information about how to create a MySQL database and user.
   >
   > * If your account does not include cPanel, you can create a MySQL database and user from the command line. For information about how to do this, please see [this article](/docs/managing-mysql-databases-and-users-from-the-command-line).

5. Use your web browser to go to the CandyCane installation URL.

   > 📘 Note
   >
   > If you copied the CandyCane files to the document root directory in step 3, the installation URL is your domain name (for example, *[http://www.example.com](http://www.example.com)* ). If you copied the CandyCane files to a subdirectory in step 3, add the subdirectory's name to the URL.

6. The **Install CandyCane** page appears. Click **Click here to begin installation**.

   > 🚧 Important
   >
   > If the **Click here to begin installation** link does not appear, review the list of installation requirements:
   >
   > * If the list displays **Your allow\_url\_fopen is NOT working well**, you must set up a custom php.ini file that enables the **allow\_url\_fopen** setting in the CandyCane directory and all subdirectories beneath it. For information about how to do this, please see [this article](/docs/setting-the-allow-url-fopen-php-directive).
   >
   > * If the list displays **Your routing is NOT working well**, confirm that the .htaccess file (and other filenames that begin with a period) was uploaded correctly in step 3.

7. On the **Step 1: Database** page, specify the database settings:

   * In the **Driver** list box, select **MySQL**.

   * Confirm that the **Host** text box is set to **localhost**.

   * In the **User / Login** text box, type the name of the database user you created in step 4.

   * In the **Password** text box, type the password for the database user you created in step 4.

   * In the **Existing database name** text box, type the name of the database you created in step 4.

   * If you want to use a database table prefix, type it in the **Prefix for table name** text box.

   * Click **Build database**, and then on the **Step 2: Run SQL** page, click **Click here to build your database**.
     > 🚧 Important
     >
     > If CandyCane cannot connect to the database, you receive a **Could not connect to database** message. Check the values you specified, and then try again.

8. On the **Installation completed successfully** page, note the CandyCane home page URL and default login information, and then click **Click here to delete installation files**.

9. The CandyCane home page appears. You are now ready to configure CandyCane.

## Configuring CandyCane

After you install CandyCane, to help secure your site you should immediately set up a new administrator and disable the default administrator. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Use your web browser to go to the CandyCane home page on your site.

2. In the top right corner of the page, click **Sign in**.

3. In the **Login** and **Password** text boxes, type the default username and password information that the CandyCane installer provided during installation.

4. Click **Sign in**.

5. In the top left corner of the page, click **Administration**.

6. On the **Administration** page, next to **Users**, click **New**.

7. Specify the settings for a new administration user.
   > 🚧 Important
   >
   > Make sure you select the **Admin** check box for the new user.

8. Click **Create**.

9. In the top right corner of the page, click **Sign out**.

10. Confirm that you can log in as the new administrator.

11. In the top left corner of the page, click **Administration**.

12. On the **Administration** page, click **Users**.

13. Next to the username that you used in step 3 to log in as the default administrator, click **Lock**. The default administrative login is now disabled.

## More information

For more information about CandyCane, please visit [https://yandod.github.io/candycane](https://yandod.github.io/candycane).