Story: install in one command
This page is for journalists and creators who want to show how quickly Exponential can be tried. Since July 2026 a complete site installs with one command.
Contents
- The story in one paragraph
- What is new, and when
- Facts you can print
- What not to claim
- Angles and headline ideas
The story in one paragraph
"This page is for anyone who wants a working Exponential site in a few minutes, without writing a kickstart.ini and
without a database server" (Installing Exponential in one command).
./console exp:install --apply installs the multisite package on SQLite in American English, with a site and an
administration, and prints the login addresses and a summary. Options choose MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB or Oracle
instead.
What is new, and when
| What | When | Source |
|---|---|---|
ezpm in the console, a one-command installer and the Kickstarter | July 2026 | July 2026 |
| SQLite as a database that needs no server | 7 January 2024 | January 2024 |
Facts you can print
| Fact | Source |
|---|---|
One command: ./console exp:install --apply, the same as php bin/php/install.php --apply | Installing Exponential in one command |
Default: SQLite, eng-US, siteaccesses site and admin | same |
Database options: sqlite (default), mysql/mariadb, pgsql, mongodb, oracle | Choose a database |
| The Kickstarter installs from a configuration file for automated setups | Kickstarter CLI |
ezpm, a package manager in the console | ezpm |
What not to claim
| Do not say | Say instead |
|---|---|
| "Installs on any shared hosting in one click" | One console command on a machine with PHP and the code |
| "No requirements" | PHP 8 and the documented extensions are needed (Getting the code) |
| "Production-ready in one command" | A working site to try; production needs the hardening guide (Security hardening) |
Angles and headline ideas
- "From zero to a CMS in one command, no database server."
- Video: Demo script: install from zero.
Related pages
- Story: SQLite by default
- Setting up a demo installation
- Getting started
- 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.