How to Install WordPress on DirectAdmin
To install WordPress on DirectAdmin, open Extra Features → Softaculous → WordPress, click Install, choose https and the domain, leave the directory blank and set your admin login. Without an installer, create a database in MySQL Management and upload WordPress into domains/yourdomain/public_html. The dashboard at /wp-admin confirms it worked.
For site owners and developers whose host or VPS uses the DirectAdmin control panel rather than cPanel or Plesk.
knowledge
- Read time
- 4 min
- Sections
- 6
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
Where do you install WordPress in DirectAdmin?
In DirectAdmin, WordPress is installed through Softaculous under Extra Features, through DirectAdmin's own WordPress Manager where the host has enabled it, or manually with File Manager. Which icons appear depends on the host's build and skin.
| Route | Where to find it | Database |
|---|---|---|
| Softaculous | Extra Features → Softaculous → WordPress | Created automatically |
| WordPress Manager | Search "WordPress" in the dashboard (often Advanced Features) | Created automatically |
| Manual | System Info & Files → File Manager, plus MySQL Management | You create it |
DirectAdmin keeps each domain in domains/example.in/public_html, unlike cPanel's single public_html for the main domain. On WebJi®, DirectAdmin is an optional add-on on a Linux VPS, quoted before work starts; cPanel hosting plans use cPanel (see the cPanel install guide), and Webji Launch, Turbo and Scale use ControlPanel.Systems.
What should you set up before installing WordPress on DirectAdmin?
Make sure the domain exists in DirectAdmin, choose a current PHP 8 version for it, and point its DNS at the server. WordPress.org's requirements page recommends a supported PHP 8 release and MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or newer.
- Domain: Account Manager → Domain Setup lists it; add it there if missing.
- PHP version: choose it in the domain's PHP settings or PHP Version Selector, depending on the build.
- DNS: the A record should point to the server before you test the public address.
- Placeholder files: remove the default index.html from public_html.
How do you install WordPress with Softaculous on DirectAdmin?
Open Extra Features → Softaculous → WordPress → Install, choose https and the domain, leave the directory field empty, set a unique admin username and click Install. Softaculous creates the database and wp-config.php for you.
- Open Softaculous from Extra Features and click WordPress, then Install.
- Set the protocol to
https://and pick the domain. - Clear the directory field so the site loads at the domain root.
- Enter the site name, an admin username other than "admin", a long password and a working email.
- Click Install and open the admin URL shown on the success screen.
With WordPress Manager instead, click Install on the domain row, leave the path empty and create the site; the same /wp-admin check confirms success.
How do you install WordPress manually on DirectAdmin?
Create a database and user in MySQL Management, upload the WordPress zip into domains/example.in/public_html, move the files out of the "wordpress" folder, and run the browser installer.
- In MySQL Management, create a database with a user; DirectAdmin prefixes both with the account name (for example
acct_wp). Note the password. - Download the latest zip from WordPress.org and upload it in File Manager to
domains/example.in/public_html. - Extract it, then move everything inside
wordpress/up intopublic_html. - Visit the domain and enter database name, user, password and host
localhost, unless the host specifies another. - Set the site title and admin user and finish.
With SSH enabled, WP-CLI does the same in ~/domains/example.in/public_html: wp core download, wp config create …, then wp core install …. Connection failures are covered in the database connection error guide.
How do you enable HTTPS and finish the setup?
In DirectAdmin open SSL Certificates for the domain, request a free Let's Encrypt certificate covering the domain and www, then confirm both WordPress URLs in Settings → General use https.
- Certificate: choose the automatic ACME / Let's Encrypt option and include www.
- Force SSL: enable the domain's "Force SSL with https redirect" option where available.
- Permalinks: Settings → Permalinks → Post name → Save.
- Clean-up: delete the sample post, page and unused themes; then install your theme.
Why did WordPress not install correctly on DirectAdmin?
The common causes are files in the wrong folder, a filled directory field, a domain with PHP disabled, or wrong database values. Fix the cause before trying a second install.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Site loads at /wordpress/ | Files not moved up, or directory field filled | Move files into public_html, or reinstall with it blank |
| Browser downloads index.php or shows code | PHP not enabled for the domain | Enable PHP for the domain, or ask the host |
| Uploaded into the wrong folder | Used the account root instead of domains/…/public_html | Move the files to the domain's public_html |
| Database connection error | Missing account prefix or wrong password | Recheck values in MySQL Management |
| "Already installed" | An existing install in that folder | Use /wp-login.php and reset the password |
On a WebJi®-managed server, email support@webji.services with the domain and the exact message; replies come 24/7 in Hindi and English.
Frequently asked questions
Is DirectAdmin good for WordPress hosting?
Yes. It is a lighter panel than cPanel and handles WordPress well, with the same PHP and MySQL underneath. It has fewer third-party tutorials, so the main trade-off is familiarity; the cPanel vs DirectAdmin comparison covers the differences.
Does DirectAdmin always include Softaculous?
No. Softaculous is a separately licensed add-on that hosts may or may not include. If neither Softaculous nor WordPress Manager appears, the manual File Manager method or WP-CLI works on any DirectAdmin account.
Can I move a WordPress site from cPanel to DirectAdmin?
Yes. Copy the files and export the database, or use a migration plugin, then import into a new DirectAdmin database and update wp-config.php. DirectAdmin can also import some cPanel backups, depending on the server's configuration.
Where is wp-config.php on DirectAdmin?
In the domain's web root, usually /home/username/domains/example.in/public_html/wp-config.php. Edit it only when the database details or a specific setting must change, and keep a copy before editing.
Menus checked against DirectAdmin Evolution documentation; labels vary by host build · Reviewed by the WebJi® team, Jaipur.
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