Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download and Install WordPress from Source Code

WordPress is a popular platform for building blogs, websites, and online stores. While you can easily install and use WordPress using a hosting provider that offers one-click installs, some advanced users may want to download and install WordPress from source code. In this article, we will guide you on how to download WordPress.tar.gz and install it on your server.

Step 1: Download WordPress.tar.gz File

Before downloading WordPress, ensure that your server meets the minimum requirements needed to run it.

1. Apache or Nginx web server
2. PHP 7.3 or greater
3. MySQL 5.6 or greater OR MariaDB 10.1 or greater
4. HTTPS support

To download WordPress from source code, head over to the WordPress.org download page. You should see a button that says "Download WordPress X.X.X". Click on it to download the latest stable release of WordPress.

WordPress releases are named after famous jazz musicians, so you can tell which version you're downloading by looking at the file name. For example, the latest version (as of this writing) is named wordpress-5.8.tar.gz.

Step 2: Extract WordPress from the Tarball

Once the download is complete, navigate to the directory where the file was downloaded. The file will typically be in your Downloads folder.

Next, extract the WordPress.tar.gz file using the following command:

tar -xzvf wordpress-5.8.tar.gz

This will extract the contents of the tarball to a new folder called wordpress.

Step 3: Copy WordPress to Your Web Server

Now that you've extracted the WordPress files, you need to copy them to your web server. You can use SCP or FTP to copy the wordpress directory to your web root directory (which could be /var/www/html on some Linux servers).

Step 4: Create a MySQL Database for WordPress

Before installing WordPress, you need to create a MySQL database to store your site data. You can typically do this using your hosting provider's control panel, or by using the following command:

mysql -u root -p

Once you're logged in to MySQL, create a new database by running the following command:

CREATE DATABASE wordpress;

Step 5: Configure WordPress

After copying WordPress to your server and creating a MySQL database, it's time to configure it.

1. Rename the wp-config-sample.php file to wp-config.php.
2. Open the wp-config.php file and enter your MySQL database credentials (database name, username, and password).
3. Save the changes to the wp-config.php file.

Step 6: Install WordPress

Now you're ready to install WordPress. Simply navigate to your website's URL in your web browser (e.g., http://example.com) and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once the installation process is complete, you can log in to your WordPress dashboard and start building your site.

Conclusion

Downloading and installing WordPress from source code can be a bit intimidating for beginners, but it's actually quite easy. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can install WordPress on your own server and take full control of your website. Happy blogging!