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This article describes how to manually install OpenCart, a PHP-based online shopping cart system.
If your hosting account includes Softaculous Premium, you do not need to install OpenCart manually. For information about how to install OpenCart in just a few clicks using Softaculous, go to Installing OpenCart using Softaculous.

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Installing OpenCart

OpenCart is compatible with all hosting.com accounts.
Although hosting.com servers are compatible with a wide variety of software applications, we cannot provide troubleshooting assistance for application-specific issues.
To install OpenCart, follow these steps:
  1. Download the OpenCart application file at https://www.opencart.com/index.php?route=cms/download to your computer.
  2. Extract the zip file on your computer.
  3. Use FTP to upload the contents of the upload folder to the public_html directory of your hosting.com account. For information about how to access your account using FTP, go to Using FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
    📘 Note This step assumes that you want to run OpenCart from your domain’s document root (for example, example.com). If you do not want to do this, create a directory beneath the public_html directory, and transfer the contents of the upload folder to that directory instead. For example, to run OpenCart from example.com/cart, create a directory under public_html named cart, and then transfer the contents of the upload folder to it.
  4. Use cPanel to create a MySQL database and database user for OpenCart. You will need this information during the web configuration process.
    📘 Note For information about how to create a MySQL database and user, go to Managing MySQL databases and users.
  5. Using the cPanel File Manager or the command line, rename the config-dist.php file to config.php.
  6. Using the cPanel File Manager or the command line, rename the admin/config-dist.php file to admin/config.php.
  7. Using the cPanel File Manager or the command line, change the permissions for the config.php files you created in steps 5 and 6 to 777 (read-write-execute).
  8. Use your web browser to start the installation. The installation URL is one of the following:
    • If you are installing the application in the domain’s document root directory, use http://www.example.com.
    • If you are installing the application in a subdirectory, use http://www.example.com/directory, where directory represents the path to the application files.
  9. On the License agreement page, click Continue.
  10. On the Pre-Installation page, confirm all of the settings are correct, and then click Continue. Alternatively, modify the required setting or settings, refresh the page, and then try again.
  11. On the Configuration page, in the Please enter your database connection details section, specify the settings for the database that you created in step 4.
  12. On the Configuration page, in the Please enter a username and password for the administration section, specify the administrator’s e-mail address and login information.
  13. Click Continue. The Installation complete page appears.

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Post-installation configuration

After you finish installing OpenCart, complete these additional steps to help secure your site:
  1. Using the cPanel File Manager or the command line, delete the install folder.
  2. Log in to OpenCart as the administrator. If you receive any security notifications, follow the recommended steps to help secure your site.

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