Module 6: Installing sites with the kickstarter and exp:install
Every multisite starts with an installation, and many are installed more than once: test systems, staging copies,
training labs. This module teaches the two command-line installers, exp:install and the kickstarter, the safe way to
reinstall and to regenerate settings, and ends with a capstone in which each learner builds a multisite from an empty
directory on their own.
At a glance
| Course | Multisite and site packages |
| Duration | 5 hours 5 minutes (with two 10-minute breaks) |
| Lessons | 5 |
| Level | Intermediate to advanced |
Lessons
| Lesson | Duration | What learners do |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson 6.1: One installer engine, three front ends | 40 minutes | Compare the methods and choose one per situation |
| Lesson 6.2: Installing a multisite with exp:install | 55 minutes | Install with host matching after --print and --dry-run, test three hosts |
| Lesson 6.3: The kickstarter and kickstart.ini | 55 minutes | Write and review kickstart.ini, install with port matching |
| Lesson 6.4: Reinstalling, resetting and regenerating settings | 45 minutes | Back up, reset with remove, regenerate with skip |
| Lesson 6.5: Capstone, a multisite from scratch | 90 minutes | Build a two-brand multisite alone and check it against the checklist |
Preparing this module
- Each learner needs three fresh code directories (lessons 6.2, 6.3 and 6.5), prepared as in Train the trainer, Lesson 2.2, and a way to serve them on free ports (Lesson 2.4).
- The machine needs network access to the package index for the default site packages, or the packages already
imported (an offline install); test one
exp:install --dry-runbefore the class. - Installs take a few minutes each; on a shared server, stagger them, and run them with a low priority.
sqlite3must be installed for the backup in lesson 6.4.- Print the capstone brief and checklist of lesson 6.5.
- Remind learners that
kickstart.ini, the summary andvar/log/initial-admin-passwordcontain passwords: nothing of it goes into chat, screenshots or shared folders.
Timing plan
| Part | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Lesson 6.1 | 40 |
| Lesson 6.2 | 55 |
| Break | 10 |
| Lesson 6.3 | 55 |
| Lesson 6.4 | 45 |
| Break | 10 |
| Lesson 6.5 | 90 |
| Total | 305 |
Related pages
- Multisite and site packages: course overview
- Trainers: start here
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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