So here we are at the installation of OpenCart platform. If you need step-by-step instruction with detailed explanations you may want to visit the OpenCart forum and go through their topics, or view the User Guides and Video Tutorials. In this post I will only describe the short version of OpenCart installation, assuming that you are somewhat familiar with this (meaning that you purchased domain and hosting plan and created the database).
1. Download the OpenCart installation files
Visit the OpenCart website and download the installation files that by default come in .zip archive (at the time I’m writing this post the latest version is 2.0.3.1 released on May 29, 2015).
2. Extract and upload the files on the server
Extract the archived files and find subfolder named ‘upload’, as well as some other files (build.xml, changelog.md, install.txt, license.txt, README.md, upgrade.txt). Upload the content of ‘upload’ folder to your server via FTP/SFTP. The location is up to you (root, subdomain folder, any other subfolder…).
3. Change the names of config-dist.php files
Change the name of the file config-dist.php located in root directory of your server to config.php
Also change the name of config-dist.php file located in ‘admin’ folder to config.php
4. Visit your website with your favorite browser
Visit your website via your browser and the installation begins. For those who are doing their first installation you should know that OpenCart needs MySQL database in order to work in the first place. You can read about creating the MySQL database prior to OpenCart install in this post.
5. Delete the install folder from server
After the installation is complete you have to delete the ‘install’ folder from your server. You will see the info message about that at the ending screen of the installation process.
Congratulation! You have successfully installed OpenCart platform on your server. 🙂
Please note that errors during installation process may occur. There are many possible reasons to that and I will post those in another section of my blog, or you can describe yours in the comments section below.
