Introduction

Magento is a powerful open-source eCommerce platform used by businesses worldwide to build online stores. This guide will walk you through the steps to install Magento eCommerce Suite on a Windows VPS.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

  • A Windows VPS with administrative access.
  • PHP 7.4 or higher installed.
  • MySQL or MariaDB installed for the database.
  • Apache or Nginx web server installed.
  • Composer installed on your system.

Step 1: Install Required Software

Ensure the following software is installed:

  1. PHP: Download and install PHP from the official PHP website: PHP for Windows.
  2. MySQL or MariaDB: Download and install MySQL from MySQL Installer or MariaDB from MariaDB Download.
  3. Apache or Nginx: Install Apache or Nginx for the web server. Instructions are available on the official websites of each project.
  4. Composer: Download and install Composer from the official website: Composer.

Step 2: Configure the Web Server

Set up your web server to serve Magento:

  1. Configure Apache or Nginx: If using Apache, make sure mod_rewrite is enabled. For Nginx, configure the server block to point to the Magento installation directory.
  2. Create a Virtual Host: Set up a virtual host for your Magento store in Apache or a server block in Nginx, and make sure the site is accessible via your domain or IP.

Step 3: Download Magento

Now, download the latest Magento version:

    1. Using Composer: The easiest way to install Magento is through Composer. Run the following command to download Magento:
composer create-project --repository=https://repo.magento.com/ magento/project-community-edition /path/to/your/installation
  1. Manual Download: Alternatively, you can download Magento from the official website: Magento Download and unzip it into the desired directory.

Step 4: Configure the Database

Next, set up the database for Magento:

    1. Create a Database: Log into MySQL or MariaDB and create a new database for Magento:
CREATE DATABASE magento;
    1. Create a Database User: Create a new user and grant the necessary privileges:
CREATE USER 'magento_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON magento.* TO 'magento_user'@'localhost';
    1. Flush Privileges: Apply the changes:
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Step 5: Configure Magento

Now, set up Magento by running the installation wizard:

  1. Run the Magento Installer: In your web browser, navigate to the Magento directory (e.g., http://yourdomain.com/magento) to start the installation process.
  2. Follow the Wizard: The Magento installer will guide you through the setup process. Provide the following details:
    • Database configuration (use the database credentials created earlier).
    • Web configuration (choose your domain or IP address).
    • Admin user details for accessing the Magento backend.

Step 6: Complete the Installation

After completing the installation wizard:

  1. Remove Installation Files: For security purposes, delete the install.php file from the Magento root directory.
  2. Access Magento Admin Panel: Log in to the Magento admin panel using the credentials you created during the installation.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Magento on your Windows VPS. You can now begin customizing your eCommerce store with products, themes, and extensions.