Installing Joomla in Enhance

Enhance can install Joomla automatically when you create a new website, handling the database setup and configuration without any manual steps.

Before You Start

• Have your domain name ready.
• Decide on an admin username and strong password before you begin.
• Joomla 5.x requires PHP 8.1 or higher. Enhance sets a compatible version automatically during install.

Step 1: Add a New Website

1. Log in to web.teklanhosting.co.uk.
2. Click Websites in the left sidebar, then click Add Website.
3. Select Install an app.

Step 2: Fill in the Details

• Server placement - leave as default unless instructed otherwise.
• Domain - enter your domain name after the www. prefix shown in the field.
• Application - select Joomla from the dropdown.
• Joomla version - leave as the latest stable release.
• Username - your Joomla admin login name.
• Email address - used for admin notifications and password resets.
• Password / Confirm password - set a strong, unique password.

Click Create. Enhance creates the database, configures configuration.php, and completes the Joomla installation automatically.

Step 3: Log in to the Joomla Admin

Once the install completes, go to https://yourdomain.com/administrator and log in with the username and password you set. You will land on the Joomla Home Dashboard.

Step 4: Enable SSL

Enhance provisions a free Let's Encrypt certificate automatically once your domain resolves to the server. Check the status under Websites → your site → SSL and enable Force HTTPS once it shows as Active.

In Joomla, go to System → Global Configuration → Server and set Force HTTPS to Entire Site.

Step 5: Explore the Joomla Dashboard

Key areas to familiarise yourself with:

• Content → Articles - create and manage your page content
• Menus - control the navigation structure of your site
• Extensions → Templates - change the look of your site
• Extensions → Install - add third-party extensions (components, modules, plugins)
• System → Global Configuration - site name, SEO settings, email configuration, caching
• Users - manage admin and front-end user accounts

Recommended First Steps

• Update Joomla - go to System → Update → Joomla and apply any available updates immediately after install.
• Enable SEF URLs - in Global Configuration → Site, turn on Search Engine Friendly URLs and Use URL Rewriting.
• Install a template - the default Cassiopeia template is clean and functional, but the Joomla Extensions Directory has many free and paid alternatives.
• Set a site name - Global Configuration → Site → Site Name appears in the browser tab and admin panel header.
• Configure email - Global Configuration → Server → Mail Settings. Use SMTP with your TekLan mailbox credentials for reliable outgoing email.
• Take a backup - use the Enhance backup tool or install Akeeba Backup before making significant changes.

Migrating an Existing Joomla Site

If you are moving an existing Joomla site to TekLan rather than starting fresh:

1. Add a new website using Start from scratch instead of Install an app.
2. Upload your Joomla files to public_html via FTP.
3. Create a new database in Enhance, import your database dump, and update configuration.php with the new database credentials.
4. Test using the hosts file method before switching DNS.

See the general migration guide for the full process.