Till now, Joomla 4.0 has been introduced to the Joomla community throughout the Alpha version. The version provides users experimental conditions to explore all the new features in Joomla 4 as well as the mean to report any problems before releasing the final version.
Although the Alpha version is not ready for developing a complete product, you can try this new version at the moment by installing through the localhost. This article will provide you with a fully simplified installation process.
How to install Joomla 4
1. Technical Requirements
1.1 PHP
You need to download PHP 7+ on your server.
1.2 MySQL
Make sure to install MySQL 5.5.3.
1.3. Web server
You can use one of these server environments such as XAMPP, MAMP, WAMP, JAMP in your local computer which will help you set up quicker than individual installations.
2. Prepare For Install
In order to demonstrate the instructions, we use XAMPP as the localhost.
2.1 Install and Configure Web Servers
1. Download XAMPP
Once you installed XAMPP, then go to http://localhost for checking. If you see the start page of XAMPP like this image, then congrats! You installed XAMPP successfully
2. Configure the web server
To run the software, you need to start Apache and MySQL.
2.2 Download and Upload Joomla! Package Files
You could download the latest Joomla 4 version on the link right below and follow our instruction to install.
(Remember to download full package then unpack the file to a folder on your local disk.)
2.3 Upload the installed files of Joomla 4 in “htdocs” folder
If you are using Windows, this folder could be located at C:\XAMPP\htdocs\ and If you are using a Mac, this folder could be located at /Applications/XAMPP.
Then, create a new folder in “htdocs” folder, for example, a new folder called “Joomla4” then you put in the Joomla 4 installation unzipped file.
2.4 Create Database for Joomla! Installation
Because PHPMyAdmin is included in XAMPP, so if you want to run PHPMyAdmin, You could go to the link http://localhost/phpmyadmin/ in your web browser to run localhost.
- Click on “New” to create a new database.
- Enter the name of the database name. For example “Joomla4Aplha8”
- Choose the type of database: utf8_general_ci.
Create Database for Joomla! Installation
3. Install Joomla 4
Step 1: Enter the following link to your browser
http://localhost/name_of_your_root_folder to enter the installation process (the folder name in section 2.3)
For example, you named your root folder is “Joomla4”; thus the link will be: http://localhost/Joomla4. Then the setting screen will appear.
Step 2: Enter the language and site name
+ Select Language: choose the language you want. You can set more language options after finishing setting up in “Customize Installation”.
+ Site Name: you have to add your site name, for example, Joomla 4 Alpha 8
+ Click “Setup Login Data” to continue.
Step 3: Setup User Data
+ Set the Username: enter your username, example: admin
+ Set the Password: enter your password, example: 123456
+ Enter the Email Address: enter your email, example: admin@gmail.com
Step 4: Data Configuration
+ Database Type: Select MySQLi. (You should select MySQLi since that’s the database type used mostly on web servers)
+ Host Name: Enter “localhost”.
+ Username: Enter “root”.
+ Password: Leave it blank if it is the default ( or enter the password that you set before )
+ Database Name: Enter the name of the database you created in section 2.4. For example “Joomla4Alpha8”.
+ Table Prefix: It is generated automatically by default. However, you can change its value.
Then click on “Install Joomla” to continue.
Step 5: Finalize & Customize Installation
1. Finalize
When you finished the setting process, it will have a summary of all detailed settings that you did before. You could check all the detailed information and correct it if it is wrong, then click on “Install Joomla” to finish.
2. Customize Installation
After successfully installing Joomla 4, you can continue to customize your Joomla site in terms of language (for a multi-language site) and sample data by clicking “Customize Installation” button.
You could select the language for your website.
Or you can install simple data your website. If you don’t want to install, click on “Skip” to continue.
Final Look
When you have done the Customize Installation, you are ready to open the front-end and back-end of the website. NOTE: You must delete the installation folder before bringing your site to the live mode. Here, you just check “Check if you wish to delete the installation folder on completion”, then Joomla! The installer should delete the folder for you.
From there, you can either click on “Open Site” to open the front-end site
Or click on “Open Admin” to open the back-end site.
Congratulation! You have installed Joomla 4 successfully. Login to your admin by using your Superuser account you have set up before.
Compare to the login page of Joomla 3, the UI of Joomla 4 login has improved significantly and more attractive.
Experience Demo Joomla 4 website
If you are not sure about installing Joomla 4 in your localhost, you can try out our demo website to have the most realistic experiences about Joomla 4. This website has all new features in Joomla 4. Maybe after that, you will find out your decision.
Conclusion
It cannot be denied that the Installation process of Joomla 4 is much easier and faster than Joomla 3.x. The UI also has been improved significantly. One-Page Installation comes in handy when you could review all the configurations on one page. With all the update and development to comes, Joomla 4 installation process could even become so much better.