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Choose a website app

A website app is open-source software you install on your hosting to run a particular kind of site: a blog, a business website, an online store, a course platform, a forum or a private file-sharing space. This guide compares the apps covered in this Help Center so you can pick the one that fits what you want to build, and explains the two ways to install them.

Start with what you want to build​

Most apps are built for one job. Choosing by purpose first saves you from bending a tool into something it was not designed to do.

  • A website, blog or business site: a content management system (CMS), software that lets you edit pages in a browser without writing code. WordPress, Joomla and Drupal are all CMSs.
  • An online store: a dedicated store platform such as PrestaShop or OpenCart, or WooCommerce, a store plugin that runs on WordPress.
  • Online courses or training: a learning management system (LMS) such as Moodle.
  • A discussion forum: forum software such as phpBB.
  • Shared files, calendars and contacts for a team or family: a collaboration platform such as Nextcloud.

Compare the apps​

AppPurposeGood forLearning curve
WordPressWebsites and blogsBlogs, business sites, portfolios, stores with WooCommerceGentle for editing content; grows with plugins
JoomlaWebsitesSites with several menus, user groups and languagesModerate; more settings to learn up front
DrupalWebsites and structured contentLarge or complex sites with many content types and rolesSteeper; developer skills help, especially for updates
PrestaShopOnline storesStores with many products, variations and modulesModerate; plan time for payments, shipping and taxes
OpenCartOnline storesSmaller stores that want a lighter admin areaModerate; fewer built-in features to learn
MoodleOnline coursesSchools, trainers and companies running coursesSteeper; many settings for courses, roles and grading
phpBBForumsCommunity discussion boardsGentle to set up; moderation takes ongoing effort
NextcloudFiles and collaborationPrivate file storage and sharing, calendars, contactsModerate; needs regular maintenance and enough storage

A few questions help narrow the choice:

  • Who will edit the site? If non-technical people will update content every week, favor the app whose editor they find easiest. Try a demo or a test install first.
  • What will you need in a year? Moving from one app to another later usually means rebuilding the site, so pick one that covers your likely next steps.
  • Are the extensions you need available and maintained? Every app on this list relies on add-ons (called plugins, extensions or modules). Check that the ones you need exist and are updated regularly.
  • Who will keep it updated? All of these apps need regular updates for security. Choose one you can realistically maintain.
Stores take more than software

A store platform handles products and checkout, but you still need a payment provider account, shipping rates, tax settings and legal pages such as terms and a privacy policy. Plan for these whichever platform you choose.

One-click install or manual install​

There are two common ways to put an app on your hosting.

One-click install means your hosting provider's installer sets up the app for you: it copies the files, creates the database and runs the setup, then gives you the admin login. It is the quickest route and avoids common mistakes, such as a wrong database password.

Manual install means you do each step yourself, usually like this:

  1. Download the app from its official website. Never use copies from other sources, which can contain malicious code.
  2. Upload the files to your hosting over SFTP, a secure way of transferring files to the server.
  3. Create a database and a database user in your hosting control panel.
  4. Open your domain in a browser and follow the app's web installer, entering the database details when asked.

A manual install gives you full control over the version and the folder the app lives in. Whichever route you take, the app is yours to update and back up afterwards. See Upload files with SFTP and Databases explained for the details of a manual install.

At DomainPilot

When you order DomainPilot web hosting, you can choose an app to be installed when your account is set up: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, PrestaShop, OpenCart, Moodle, phpBB or Nextcloud. For stores, DomainPilot also has dedicated pages for PrestaShop hosting, OpenCart hosting and WooCommerce hosting.

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