YNOT – If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably followed the previous ones and you’re ready to begin creating a website using one of the most popular content management systems currently in circulation: WordPress.

We have seen many theoretical aspects of WordPress and analyzed all assessments to be done before buying a hosting space and related services. However, in order to function, all CMSes require certain outside components be installed on the server, and WordPress is no exception.

Server Requirements:

• PHP version 4.3 or higher
• MySQL version 4.1.2 or higher
• (Optional) Apache mod_rewrite module (for clean URLs)

When you choose your hosting provider, it is essential that you ensure at least the first two above components are supported and installed. They are crucial to the successful implementation of the CMS.

So that you understand why they are necessary, here are brief explanations of PHP and MySQL:

• PHP was created in 1994 by the Dane Rasmus Lerdorf. “PHP” is a jumbled acronym for “Hypertext PreProcessor.” It is an interpreted scripting language distributed under a free and open-source license (not GPL). Today, PHP is used to develop server-side web applications. You do not need to know how to code in PHP in order to create a portal with WordPress, although some concepts may be useful for advanced management of the site.

• MySQL is a relational database management system consisting of a character-based interface for client and server. It is available for Unix, Linux and Windows systems. Many software interfaces exist for managing MySQL, but one of the most popular — and I suggest you use it — is phpMyAdmin. It requires a web server such as Apache HTTP Server and support for PHP. Access to phpMyAdmin is very simple and can be performed via a standard browser.

I cannot state this too often: When selecting a website host, be sure the service supports at least the minimum parameters recommended for the installation of WordPress.

Personally, I prefer a server running the Linux operating system (accompanied by the Apache web server) instead of a server with Windows installed. I understand that at first glance it would seem more appropriate to use a system with which you are more familiar — maybe because you use the same system on your desktop computer — but I assure you the benefits of Linux in the long run will pay back the inconveniece of learning a few particulars about a new OS.

Scheduling server-side jobs, for example, is much more intuitive and configurable in an environment that is not Windows-based. “Jobs” can be used to schedule automatic activities that serve to improve the performance and content of your portal. Consider the rejuvenation of the database, for example. Databases should be updated at regular intervals, usually at a time when demands on the server are low. Updates to WordPress-based sites are easy using a simple plugin that we will examine in a future article, but the plugin requires a Linux environment to work properly.

In the next article in this series, we will see how to install WordPress components locally so as to start using the CMS on your PC. This will make it easier for you to understand how WordPress works and allow the creation of profiles you don’t want others to see.

This article was written for YNOT by Eng. Antonio Lodesani. For more information, visit ingoccupati.blogspot.com (in Italian).