Choosing an install method for a new site
This page is for website creators who are about to install Exponential for a new site. It answers which of the three install methods suits you, which site package to choose, and which options matter for a website. The installation book has the full detail: Choosing an install method.
Contents
- One installer, three front ends
- Which method for which situation
- Choosing the site package
- The options that matter for a website
- After the install
One installer, three front ends
All three methods run the same installation steps and end in the same step, CreateSites, so they write the same
settings and the same database. They differ in how they ask their questions
(4.2 The three methods at a glance):
| Method | You answer | Needs a web server during the install | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup wizard | forms in the browser, one page per step | yes | a first install, evaluating, hosts without shell access |
Kickstarter (exp:kickstarter) | a reviewed kickstart.ini file | no | repeatable installs, staging copies, offline package sets |
Console install (exp:install) | command-line options, each with a default | no | the fastest install; scripts, CI, demos |
Which method for which situation
| Your situation | Choose |
|---|---|
| You want to see Exponential running in minutes on your own machine | exp:install with its defaults (SQLite, sevenx_multisite) |
| You will hand the site to a customer and want every decision explained on a page | the setup wizard (chapter 5) |
| You build the same site for staging and production, or for several customers | the kickstarter with one kickstart.ini per environment (chapter 6) |
| Your hosting has no shell access | the setup wizard |
| You test in CI | exp:install --dry-run, then exp:install (chapter 7) |
Choosing the site package
A site package is the starting content and settings: classes, a design, demo content, roles. The package index of this version offers eleven; the ones you are most likely to choose (4.3 Site packages):
| Package | What you get | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
sevenx_multisite | the default multisite installation with demo content | you want to explore, or build on the demo |
sevenx_multisite_clean | the same, without demo content | you build a real site and fill it yourself |
sevenx_site, sevenx_site_clean | the simpler website interface | a small site |
ezwebin_site, ezflow_site, ezdemo_site (and _clean), plain_site | the older packages | you continue a site built on them |
Tip
Install the full package once on your laptop to learn, and the _clean one for the real site.
The options that matter for a website
With exp:install every option has a default; for a real site set at least these
(7.3 Options):
| Option | Why it matters |
|---|---|
--url=https://www.example.com | every siteaccess's address, mail links and feeds are built from it |
--access=url|host|port | how visitors reach each siteaccess; host is best for production and HTTPS (Going live) |
--host, --admin-host | the public and administration host names, with --access=host |
--language, --languages | the primary language and the others (Building a multilingual site) |
--title | the site name, used in titles and mail |
--db=... with --db-user | the database; a database user for Exponential alone (Database support) |
--email | a real address: it becomes [MailSettings] AdminEmail |
--package | the site package, see above |
An example for a production-style install by host names, run as the web server's user:
EXP_INSTALL_DB_PASSWORD='<database password>' \
sudo -u www-data php bin/php/console exp:install --apply \
--db=pgsql --db-user=exponential --db-name=exponential \
--package=sevenx_multisite_clean --language=eng-US --languages=ger-DE \
--title="Example" --url=https://www.example.com \
--access=host --host=www.example.com --admin-host=admin.example.com \
--email[email protected] --dry-runRemove --dry-run when the check passes. The password goes in EXP_INSTALL_DB_PASSWORD rather than an option, so it
does not show in the process list or the shell history.
Warning
--db-action=remove is the default and empties the database first. Never point an install at a database that holds
content you want to keep.
After the install
- Note the administrator password the install shows once, sign in and change it (The default administrator password).
- Serve the site (Hosting requirements for a website).
- Work through the first-week checklist of After installing.
Related pages
- Your first site, step by step
- Hosting requirements for a website
- Site packages and the themes that ship
- Installation book
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
Become an Exponential Partner
Partners share their information, provide funding, contribute back and develop the products with us, and that is how Exponential grows. A partner website and dashboard are planned for mid-2027: please become a partner today to speed up our growth rate and land new features faster.