cPanel

cPanel is a web based software used to administrate a website. It contains many tools and features to help the user configure, monitor and protect their website.

cPanel features:

WP Toolkit
Ability to install WordPress quick and easy, login into the site, back up and restore, and many more tools to monitor parts of the WordPress site. It is a centralize location to manage WordPress sites on your server.
Note: Make sure to disable automatic updates for both WordPress and plugins. There may be compatibility/conflict issues and may break the site.

Domains > Domains
Allow you to view your domains, enable HTTPS(if you can not enable it, see SSL/TLS Status), create sub domains and more.
Domain: matmcc.org
Sub domain: blanco.matmcc.org
Note- It may take a few hours to propagate if you create a new domain.

Security > Auto SSL
uses a security certificate and has to be updated every other month. It force redirects port 80 to port 443.
To enable Auto SSL go to SSL/TLS Status.

Security > SSL/TLS Status
Allows you to see the SSL status of the domains and Run Auto SSL.

Databases
A database is a single table with rows and columns of cross-referenced information.
MySQL
port:80 http
port:443 https (secured/encrypted)

Databases > phpMyAdmin
Allows you to graphically/visually see the database for your site(s).
Columns are going to be headers.
Rows are going to be entries.

Files > File Manager
Is not a replacement for FTP, cant upload multiple files.
publilc_html is the folder that will contain your site’s files(static page files or wp files).

Files > Directory Privacy
Allows you add passwords to directories/folders in the file manager.

Files > Backup
Ability to back up the entire site or a part of it and restore it.

Disk Usage (right side panel)
How much space you are allowed to use to edit site and or to install themes/plugins. If the site appears to be slowing down, try increasing the Disk Usage.

Security > Hotlink Protection
When a site embeds content your site and uses your bandwidth to serve the files.
Source – https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/security/hotlink-protection/

Software > MultiPHP Manager
Allows you to manage the accounts PHP configuration, you can see a list of domains and set the PHP version.
Tip: Look to see if it is using the current version of php, or at least a newer version. Current version is PHP8.1. If it is an older version, then it my be time to switch to a new host provider.
Source – https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/software/multiphp-manager-for-cpanel/

Software > MultiPHP INI Editor
Allows you to configure your PHP settings. You can modify the Memory Limit – sets the amount of memory a script is allowed to allocate, Max Execution Time for a script to run before it is terminated and more
Tip: for developers – enable the display_errors for troubleshooting pages.
Source – https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/software/multiphp-ini-editor-for-cpanel/

Additional troubleshoot if a page is not updating:
Hard refresh the page – to release the cache
Refresh the CSS file – in inspect open the css file in a new tab > hard refresh > hard refresh the page.

cPanel Documentation
https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/

WordPress

3 ways to install WordPress
1. WP Tool Kit through cPanel – centralized management of site(s)
easy, automatic, not the easiest to manage. It is newer. Make sure to disable Auto update, compatibility issues.
2. Manual install
3. Installatron WP

WordPress
requires two important pieces:
1. file system (html, css, php)
2. database (mySql)

How to log into WordPress without cPanel
domain.org/wp-admin
Note: public knows this page/path and it is a good reason for having a strong password.