Setting up a Database

General steps to set up a basic MySQL database through your web host:

1. In your web host's control panel, find the place where you can manage your MySQL databases.
2. Create a database, create a user, and then add the user to the database. Make sure to jot down the database name, username, and password; you will need these information when installing your blogging software.
3. Install your chosen software. Each blogging platform comes with explicit step-by-step installation instructions and troubleshooting tips, both with the downloaded software and online.

The exact steps you take to install the software depend on which software you are installing.

Uploading files with FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

FTP is a method used to move material from one computer to another over the internet. In order to install any blogging software, you need to use FTP to upload your software files to your web host in order to complete the installation.

There are two formats to upload files in FTP:

• ASCII is a character encoding based on the English alphabet and is used to represent text in computers. Most files are moved in this format to ensure they are preserved in an FTP transfer.
• Binary is a file that typically contains bits of data that are meant to represent something other than textual data. In FTP terms, this usually means images and photos.

Be attentive to your blog software's installation instructions, as they will usually tell you which files need to be moved via FTP in what format, ASCII or Binary.