Softaculous is a one-click installer that sets up hundreds of web applications, such as WordPress, on your hosting account.
Softaculous is an auto-installer that lives inside your hosting control panel. Instead of downloading an application, uploading its files, creating a database and running a setup script by hand, you pick the app from a list, fill in a short form and Softaculous does the rest. A WordPress site that might take 20 minutes to install manually is ready in about a minute.
It works with control panels including cPanel, and its library covers blogs, content management systems, forums, shops, wikis, galleries and project management tools.
How Softaculous works
When you install an app, Softaculous:
- Fetches the current version of the app
- Creates a MySQL database and database user
- Copies the files to the domain or folder you choose
- Runs the app's installer with the admin username, password and site name you entered
- Records the install so it can manage it later
Because it keeps track of each installation, Softaculous can also handle updates, backups and removal for you.
What you can do with Softaculous
Beyond the first install, Softaculous is useful for day-to-day management:
- Apply updates to the app, either automatically or with one click
- Back up the app's files and database before making changes
- Create a staging site to test updates privately
- Clone an install to another domain or subdomain
- Import an existing install so Softaculous can manage it
Popular apps in Softaculous
WordPress is by far the most installed app, but the library also includes Joomla, Drupal, PrestaShop, phpBB, MediaWiki and Moodle, among many others. AblePage plans include Softaculous with 400+ apps.
Common Softaculous mistakes
- Using "admin" as the admin username, which makes brute-force attacks easier
- Installing into the wrong folder, so the app appears at example.com/wp instead of example.com
- Forgetting about test installs, which then go unpatched and become a security risk
- Turning off automatic updates and never applying them by hand
Softaculous vs installing manually
A manual install gives you full control over every setting, which some developers prefer. For most people, though, Softaculous is quicker, less error-prone and makes it easier to keep apps updated. Installing with Softaculous doesn't lock you in either: you can still edit files over SSH or FTP later, and the app works exactly as it would if you'd installed it yourself.