How to Install Magento 2 on Shared Hosting ?

Because of its resource requirements and server limitations, Magento 2 might be difficult to install on shared hosting. If the hosting environment satisfies Magento's minimal criteria, it is feasible.

Pre-Installation Checklist

1. Verify Hosting Requirements:

• PHP version: 7.4+ (or the latest version supported by Magento).
• MySQL version: 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.4+.
• Elasticsearch: May not be available on shared hosting (required for Magento 2.4+).
• PHP Extensions: intl, soap, bcmath, gd, mbstring, xsl, cURL, zip, etc.
• Composer Support: Some shared hosting providers include Composer, or you can use it locally.

2. Secure FTP and Database Access:

• FTP credentials for uploading files.
• A database (MySQL/MariaDB) created through cPanel.

3. Magento Package:

• Download the Magento 2 ZIP file from the Magento Downloads page.

4. Domain or Subdomain:

• Ensure your domain or subdomain points to the shared hosting account.

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Step-by-Step Installation

1. Upload Magento Files

• Download the Magento 2 ZIP package.
• Extract it locally and upload the contents to your server using FTP or cPanel's File Manager.

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2. Set File Permissions

• After uploading, set the correct permissions: Folders: 755 Files: 644
• Some shared hosting environments might require additional permission adjustments for pub, var, and generated directories.

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3. Create a Database

• Log in to cPanel.
• Go to MySQL Databases:
• Create a new database.
• Create a new user and assign it to the database with ALL PRIVILEGES.

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4. Configure Magento Installation

Navigate to your domain or subdomain in a browser (e.g., https://yourdomain.com).

The Magento Setup Wizard will start:

• Readiness Check: Ensure your hosting meets the requirements.
• Add Database Details: Enter the database name, username, and password.

Web Configuration:

• Specify the Base URL (e.g., https://yourdomain.com).
• Enable/disable HTTPS based on your SSL setup.
• Admin Account: Create an admin username, password, and email.
• Installation Path: Magento will configure itself.

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5. Post-Installation Tasks

• Set File Permissions Again:

chmod -R 775 pub var generated
chmod u+x bin/magento

You may need to do this via SSH or ask your hosting provider for assistance.

• Run Indexers (Optional): If SSH access is available:

php bin/magento indexer:reindex
php bin/magento cache:flush

Without SSH, Magento automatically handles this after installation.

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6. Fix Common Shared Hosting Issues

• Cron Jobs: Configure cron jobs via cPanel for Magento's background processes. Example:

*/5 * * * * php /home/username/public_html/bin/magento cron:run

• Elasticsearch Workaround: Magento 2.4+ requires Elasticsearch. If not available, use an earlier Magento version (like 2.3.x) or request Elasticsearch from your hosting provider.

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Troubleshooting Tips

• Slow Performance: Shared hosting is limited in resources; consider upgrading to VPS or cloud hosting.
• Readiness Check Fails: Ensure all required PHP extensions are installed/enabled. Contact your hosting provider for assistance.
• Composer Errors: Use Composer locally to install dependencies, then upload the files to the server.

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Magento 2 may work on shared hosting for small-scale stores or testing environments. For a production site, VPS or dedicated hosting is highly recommended for better performance, security, and scalability.