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What is Softaculous
Softaculous is a leading auto-installer application designed to simplify the process of installing and managing web applications on various web hosting platforms. Whether you’re a novice user or an experienced developer, Softaculous offers an intuitive interface that makes installing, updating, and managing web applications a breeze.
With Softaculous, you can access a vast library of applications covering a wide range of categories, including content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, e-commerce platforms like Magento and WooCommerce, blogging platforms, forums, and much more. This extensive selection caters to the diverse needs of website owners and developers, providing solutions for everything from personal blogs to enterprise-level e-commerce sites.
One of the key advantages of Softaculous is its ease of use. Installing applications is as simple as a few clicks, eliminating the need for manual installation processes that can be time-consuming and complex. Additionally, Softaculous offers automated updates for installed applications, ensuring that your software is always up to date with the latest features and security patches.
Softaculous also includes features for backup and restoration, allowing users to easily create backups of their website data and restore it in case of emergencies. This provides added peace of mind and helps safeguard against data loss.
Some key features of Softaculous include:
- One-click installation: Softaculous allows users to install popular web applications with just one click, significantly reducing the time and effort required for deployment.
- Wide application support: Softaculous offers a vast library of applications across different categories, catering to various website needs and requirements.
- Automatic updates: Softaculous automates the process of updating installed applications, helping users stay up-to-date with the latest features, security patches, and bug fixes.
- Backup and restore: Softaculous provides backup and restore functionality, allowing users to easily backup their website data and restore it in case of any unforeseen issues.
- Customization options: Users can customize the installation settings of each application according to their preferences, such as choosing installation directories, setting up database configurations, and more.
Prerequisites
- You must have root access or access to a user with Sudo privileges.
- DirectAdmin should be installed on the Server.
- You must have DirectAdmin admin access.
- IonCube Loader should be installed and enabled in the VPS or dedicated Server.
- If you have installed a firewall on your VPS or dedicated server then you need to allow access to all packages from *.softaculous.com.
Below is the list of the domains which you need to allow access to your firewall as these are the mirrors used to download the script packages.
192.198.80.3 # api.softaculous.com
158.69.6.246 # s1.softaculous.com
138.201.40.168 # s2.softaculous.com
213.239.208.58 # s3.softaculous.com
138.201.24.83 # s4.softaculous.com
167.114.200.240 # s7.softaculous.com
Installation Steps
- Login into your VPS or dedicated server with root user via SSH.
- Execute the following commands in the terminal.
# wget -N http://files.softaculous.com/install.sh
# chmod 755 install.sh
# ./install.sh - Once it is successfully installed, you will get a message on the screen “Congratulations, Softaculous was installed successfully.”
- Login into your DirectAdmin control panel with the required credentials.
- Go to the upper left side of the screen and click on the control panel icon (four circles).
- Select the Extra Features option and click on it.
- By clicking on it, one list will appear. Select the Softaculous Auto Installer option from the list and click on it.
- Once you click on it, you will be redirected to a new window mentioned below. It means that Softaculous is successfully installed in DirectAdmin. You will get softaculous license details from there.
- Again, go to the control panel and click on the control panel icon (four circles) located on the upper left side of the screen.
- By clicking on it, you will see the Softaculous Apps Installer option just below the Support & Help option. That’s all.
Troubleshoot
- If the ionCube loader is not installed on the VPS or Dedicated Server, the following error will occur. The following measures must be taken to correct it to install Softaculous DirectAdmin.
- Log in to DirectAdmin as “root” via SSH.
- Install the ioncube loader on your VPS or dedicated server.
- In the terminal, type the following command. Softaculous will be installed on the VPS.
# ./install.sh
Conclusion
Overall, Softaculous is a valuable tool for web hosting providers and website owners alike, offering convenience, flexibility, and efficiency in managing web applications. However, it’s essential to ensure that the hosting provider supports Softaculous and that users follow best practices for security and maintenance to maximize its benefits.