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To host ClassicPress, you need a public web host, a domain, a supported PHP/MySQL-or-MariaDB/web-server stack, and HTTPS. You can install it manually over SFTP, use a host’s Softaculous or Installatron installer, migrate an existing WordPress site with the ClassicPress Migration Plugin, or deploy with Composer if you already manage automated PHP projects.
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For the least risk, choose a host that offers current PHP, MySQL or MariaDB, SSL certificates, backups, staging, SSH/SFTP access, and clear control over automatic WordPress updates. Confirm the exact versions in ClassicPress’s requirements page before committing, because supported versions change as ClassicPress releases evolve.
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What ClassicPress hosting must provide
ClassicPress is self-hosted software. Unlike a hosted site builder, it does not include a server, database, domain, or certificate. Your host must supply a public environment that can run PHP, serve web requests, and connect ClassicPress to MySQL or MariaDB.
- Public hosting: shared hosting, a virtual server, or another server you administer.
- A domain: the hostname visitors will use. It must point to the hosting account before you test the finished site.
- PHP: the language runtime ClassicPress executes.
- MySQL or MariaDB: the database that stores settings, users, content, and metadata.
- A compatible web server: Apache, Nginx, or LiteSpeed configured to serve the site and support URL rewriting where applicable.
- HTTPS: an SSL certificate, such as a certificate issued through Let’s Encrypt, so logins and visitor traffic use an encrypted connection.
- File and account access: an SSH account with SFTP is the preferred way to transfer files. FTP can work, but it does not provide the same encrypted transfer channel.
Check these capabilities before ordering a plan. A host can advertise PHP support while limiting the version, database creation, rewrite configuration, or shell access you need for a reliable installation.
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PHP, database, and web-server requirements
The ClassicPress requirements page is the authority for the version supported by the release you are installing. The figures below describe the documented minimum for ClassicPress version 2 and the recommended values published for current deployments. A newer recommendation in the release repository calls for PHP 8.4 or greater and MariaDB 10.4 or greater, so verify the live requirements page on the day you install.
| Component | ClassicPress version 2 minimum | Recommended guidance |
|---|---|---|
| PHP | 7.4 | PHP 8.3 or 8.4; the newer release guidance lists PHP 8.4 or greater |
| Database | MySQL 5.0 or higher | MySQL 5.7 or higher, or MariaDB 10.3 or higher; newer release guidance lists MariaDB 10.4 or higher |
| Web server | Apache 2.4 | Apache 2.4 with mod_rewrite, Nginx, or LiteSpeed |
| Transport security | HTTPS is required for a production site | An active SSL certificate, including a free Let’s Encrypt certificate |
Do not treat the minimum PHP or database figures as a target for a new site. Older versions can leave you with fewer security updates and a shorter upgrade path. Ask the host which PHP versions you can select per domain, whether the database server is shared, and whether you can change versions without opening a support ticket.
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Questions to ask a host before purchase
- Which PHP versions are available for this domain, and can I switch between them?
- Is the database MySQL or MariaDB, and which server version will my account use?
- Is Apache, Nginx, or LiteSpeed in front of the account, and is URL rewriting enabled?
- Can I create a database and database user from the control panel?
- Is SSH available, and can I use SFTP rather than unencrypted FTP?
- Is an SSL certificate included, and can it be issued or renewed automatically?
- Are daily backups included, how long are they retained, and can I restore individual files and databases?
- Is there a staging environment for testing updates and migrations?
- Does the host automatically update WordPress installations, and can that behavior be disabled?
- Which support channel handles database, DNS, PHP, and certificate problems?
Choose an installation method
Three practical deployment paths cover most ClassicPress sites. The right choice depends on how much control you need and how often you will repeat the setup.
| Method | Best fit | Control and repeatability | Host dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual ZIP and SFTP | Owners who want a transparent, standard installation | Direct control of files, database, and document root; repeatable with a written checklist | Requires database tools and file-transfer access |
| Softaculous or Installatron | Shared-hosting users whose panel exposes a ClassicPress installer | Fast setup with panel-managed fields; advanced settings depend on the host | Only available when the host provides and maintains the installer |
| Composer | Developers already automating PHP deployments | Strong repeatability and version control, with a different directory layout | Requires Composer knowledge and server configuration control |
Installers reduce the number of manual steps, but they do not remove the need to understand the domain, database, backups, HTTPS, and update process. Composer is not a shortcut for a first-time shared-hosting installation.
Manual ClassicPress installation with SFTP
The official installation sequence is download, unpack, upload, create a database, open the domain, and complete the installer. Have your host’s control-panel credentials, SFTP details, database details, and domain ready before beginning.
- Confirm the environment. Verify the PHP version, database engine and version, web server, SSL availability, and the folder that serves your domain. If the host cannot state these values, resolve that uncertainty first.
- Download the latest ClassicPress ZIP. Use the current release from the official ClassicPress download location. Keep the original archive until the site is working so you can identify the exact release installed.
- Unzip the archive locally. Extract the ZIP on your computer. The result is an unzipped ClassicPress folder containing the application files. Do not upload only the ZIP and expect the web server to install it.
- Set up SSH and SFTP. ClassicPress recommends obtaining an SSH account and copying files through SFTP. Use an SFTP-capable client such as FileZilla or Cyberduck. Record the hostname, port, username, and authentication method supplied by the host.
- Upload the unzipped files. Connect to the account and place the ClassicPress files in the domain’s document root, or in the installation directory you intend to use. If you upload into an extra nested folder, the site may appear at an unexpected URL.
- Create a database and database user. In the host panel, create a MySQL or MariaDB database, a dedicated database user, and a strong password. Grant that user the privileges needed by the database. Copy the database name, username, password, and database-host value exactly; some hosts use a separate database server name instead of
localhost. - Open the domain. Visit the domain over HTTPS. When ClassicPress detects that its configuration is not complete, it opens the installation screen. If DNS has not propagated or the domain points elsewhere, the installer will not appear from that hostname.
- Enter the database information. Supply the database name, user, password, and host requested by the installer. Submit the form and allow ClassicPress to create its tables.
- Finish the site setup. Enter the requested site and administrator details, choose a unique administrator password, and sign in. Remove temporary files only if the installer or host documentation explicitly instructs you to do so.
- Test the finished site. Load the front page, sign in and out, create a test post, and open a few internal URLs. Confirm that the browser shows HTTPS and that the site is using the intended domain and directory.
Database details that commonly cause failures
A database connection error usually means one of four values is wrong: the database name, database user, password, or database host. Recopy each value from the hosting panel rather than guessing. Check that the user is assigned to the database and has the required privileges. If the panel displays a port or a remote database hostname, use the supplied value. Your host’s support team can confirm these settings when the panel does not make them clear.
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Some hosts expose ClassicPress in Softaculous or Installatron from cPanel, DirectAdmin, or Plesk. ClassicPress documentation also mentions Virtualmin and Docker options. The exact menu names and available fields vary by host, so follow the panel’s current labels rather than assuming every account has the same controls.
Softaculous workflow
- Open the hosting control panel and launch Softaculous.
- Search for ClassicPress and open its install page.
- Confirm that the account supports at least PHP 7.4; ClassicPress recommends PHP 8.3 or 8.4 in the Softaculous guide.
- Choose Quick Install or Custom Install.
- Enter the domain and, if desired, an installation directory. Leaving the directory empty normally places the site at the domain root; verify the panel’s explanation before submitting.
- Enter the administrator account details and any database or version fields shown.
- Review the summary, start the installation, and save the administrator URL and credentials securely.
Quick Install asks for the domain, an optional installation directory, and an administrator account. Custom Install exposes additional settings, but those settings differ according to the host. After completion, test the front end, administrator login, HTTPS, and internal URLs just as you would after a manual install.
When the installer is missing
Not seeing ClassicPress in Softaculous or Installatron does not mean the host cannot run it. It means the provider has not exposed that package in your panel. Use the manual SFTP method if the PHP, database, web-server, and HTTPS requirements are met, or ask support whether ClassicPress can be enabled for your account.
Migrate an existing WordPress site
ClassicPress provides a Migration Plugin for switching an existing WordPress site. Migration changes the application running your site, so treat it as a planned deployment rather than a routine plugin installation.
Prepare before migration
- Make a restorable backup of the database and all site files. Keep a copy outside the hosting account.
- Create a staging copy when your host supports staging. Test the migration there before touching the live domain; this is prudent operational practice, not a universal ClassicPress requirement.
- List your active themes, plugins, custom code, scheduled tasks, and integrations. Confirm that each item supports ClassicPress before the live switch.
- Check whether the host automatically updates WordPress. ClassicPress warns that automatic updates can interfere with migration. Contact the host and request that the updater be disabled or paused for the migration window. Customers of some hosts, including SiteGround, are specifically instructed to ask support to disable the automatic updater.
- Record the current PHP version, database details, administrator logins, DNS settings, and HTTPS configuration so you can restore the previous state if necessary.
Migration sequence
- Bring the WordPress site to a maintenance window and confirm the backup can be opened or restored.
- Install and run the ClassicPress Migration Plugin from the existing WordPress administrator area, following its current prompts.
- Allow the plugin to perform the conversion, then sign in to ClassicPress and inspect the dashboard, media library, menus, widgets, permalinks, and representative posts.
- Test forms, ecommerce or membership integrations, analytics, caching, and any custom code in staging or a protected test URL.
- Re-enable only the update behavior you have reviewed for the new site. Do not let a host’s WordPress-specific automatic updater replace ClassicPress files.
- When the site passes testing, remove the maintenance page and monitor logs, front-end URLs, administrator access, and scheduled tasks.
If the migration fails, keep the original backup and restore the previous WordPress site before trying another run. Do not repeatedly migrate a live site without a known recovery point.
Composer deployment for advanced teams
Composer can install recent ClassicPress releases and nightly builds and can automate repeatable deployments. It is intended for developers who already manage Composer projects, deployment scripts, and server configuration.
A Composer-based project can have a different layout from a regular ClassicPress installation. In a Bedrock-style setup, the web server must serve only the web/ subdirectory; it must not expose the project root. Pointing the document root at the project root can reveal files that should remain private and can prevent the application from resolving correctly.
Composer checks before you deploy
- Confirm Composer is available on the server or that your deployment process can build the project elsewhere and upload the resulting files.
- Define the document root explicitly and verify that only the intended public directory is web-accessible.
- Keep dependency and environment configuration outside the public directory.
- Test the deployment on staging, including database connection, HTTPS, rewrites, updates, and rollback.
- Document how you will pin, update, and roll back ClassicPress versions, especially when using nightly builds.
Operate the site after installation
Enable and verify HTTPS
Install an SSL certificate and force the site to use its HTTPS address once the certificate is active. Let’s Encrypt is a free certificate source listed by ClassicPress. Test the public site and administrator area in a private browser window, and update any saved site URL settings if the installation initially used HTTP.
Establish backups and staging
Use the host’s backup system or another backup process that captures both the database and files. Retain at least one copy outside the server. A staging copy lets you test ClassicPress, theme, and plugin updates without changing the live site.
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Control updates
Keep track of ClassicPress releases, PHP changes, database upgrades, and host-level maintenance. On migrated sites, verify that no WordPress automatic updater remains active. Test updates in staging, take a fresh backup, then update production during a period when you can check the site.
Keep access secure
Use SFTP instead of FTP for file transfers, protect administrator accounts with unique passwords, and give database users only the permissions required by the site. Remove unused accounts and review SSH access when staff or contractors change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common setup problems and fixes
The domain shows the old site or a blank page
Confirm that the domain points to the new hosting account and that the files are in the document root assigned to that domain. Check whether the host expects the site in a subdirectory. If DNS was changed recently, allow the host’s stated propagation period before treating the installation as broken.
The installer cannot connect to the database
Recheck the database name, user, password, and database-host value. Confirm that the user is assigned to the database and that the database server is running. Ask the host whether a non-default port or remote hostname is required.
Internal links return 404 errors
Verify that the web server supports URL rewriting. On Apache, the documented recommendation includes mod_rewrite. Nginx and LiteSpeed require their corresponding rewrite configuration. Ask support to confirm the domain’s rewrite rules if you do not control the server configuration.
PHP is rejected as too old
Switch the domain to a supported PHP version in the host panel, or ask support to do it. For a new ClassicPress version 2 installation, use the current recommended PHP value rather than settling for the 7.4 minimum. Check themes and plugins after changing PHP.
SFTP upload fails or files are incomplete
Confirm the SFTP hostname, port, username, and permissions. Compare the local extracted folder with the remote folder and retry interrupted transfers. Do not start the installer until the upload has completed.
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Stop the host’s WordPress updater and contact support if you cannot disable it yourself. Restore the pre-migration backup if ClassicPress files have been replaced, then repeat the migration only after the updater is controlled.
Composer site exposes private files
Inspect the virtual host or domain document-root setting. A Bedrock-style Composer deployment must serve only web/, not the project root. Correct the web-root setting, clear any cache, and test both public URLs and a direct request for a project-root file.
Final decision: which path should you use?
Choose manual SFTP installation when you want a conventional file layout and can create a database yourself. Choose Softaculous or Installatron when your host provides ClassicPress and you value a guided panel workflow. Choose Composer only when your team already uses automated PHP deployments and can enforce the separate public web root. Whichever route you select, verify the live ClassicPress requirements, secure the domain with HTTPS, maintain restorable backups, and control update behavior before inviting visitors.
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