{"id":16049,"date":"2026-09-15T23:45:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T22:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T23:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T22:45:07","slug":"what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is OpenCart and How to Install It on Your Hosting"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#What_Is_OpenCart_and_How_to_Install_It_on_Your_Hosting\" >What Is OpenCart and How to Install It on Your Hosting<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#What_Is_OpenCart\" >What Is OpenCart?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Key_Features_of_OpenCart\" >Key Features of OpenCart<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Why_Choose_OpenCart_for_Your_Online_Store\" >Why Choose OpenCart for Your Online Store?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#What_Do_You_Need_for_OpenCart_Hosting\" >What Do You Need for OpenCart Hosting?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Minimum_Server_Requirements\" >Minimum Server Requirements<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#How_to_Install_OpenCart_on_Your_Hosting\" >How to Install OpenCart on Your Hosting<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Step_1_Download_OpenCart\" >Step 1: Download OpenCart<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Step_2_Create_a_Database\" >Step 2: Create a Database<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Step_3_Upload_OpenCart_Files\" >Step 3: Upload OpenCart Files<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Step_4_Set_File_Permissions\" >Step 4: Set File Permissions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Step_5_Run_the_Installation_Wizard\" >Step 5: Run the Installation Wizard<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Step_6_Log_In_and_Configure_Your_Store\" >Step 6: Log In and Configure Your Store<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Tips_for_Optimising_Your_OpenCart_Hosting_Setup\" >Tips for Optimising Your OpenCart Hosting Setup<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Enable_SEO-Friendly_URLs\" >Enable SEO-Friendly URLs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Install_a_Caching_Extension\" >Install a Caching Extension<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Keep_OpenCart_Updated\" >Keep OpenCart Updated<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/what-is-opencart-and-how-to-install-it-on-your-hosting\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><html><br \/>\n<head><br \/>\n<title>What Is OpenCart and How to Install It on Your Hosting<\/title><br \/>\n<\/head><br \/>\n<body><\/p>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_OpenCart_and_How_to_Install_It_on_Your_Hosting\"><\/span>What Is OpenCart and How to Install It on Your Hosting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>If you are looking to launch an online shop without spending a fortune on custom development, OpenCart is one of the most popular and reliable solutions available today. Whether you are a small business owner, a freelance developer, or an entrepreneur testing a new product idea, understanding OpenCart hosting and how to get it up and running can save you significant time and money. In this guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about OpenCart, why it is worth considering, and how to install it on your hosting account step by step.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_OpenCart\"><\/span>What Is OpenCart?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>OpenCart is a free, open-source eCommerce platform built on PHP and MySQL. It was first released in 2008 and has since grown into a globally recognised shopping cart solution used by hundreds of thousands of online retailers. The platform is designed to be user-friendly, highly customisable, and scalable, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike some eCommerce platforms that lock you into proprietary systems, OpenCart gives you full control over your store. You own your data, you can modify the source code, and you are not tied to monthly subscription fees just to keep your shop online. The core software is completely free to download and use, though you may choose to invest in premium themes or extensions from the OpenCart marketplace.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Features_of_OpenCart\"><\/span>Key Features of OpenCart<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>OpenCart comes packed with features that make it a compelling choice for anyone building an online store:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Multi-store management:<\/strong> Run multiple shops from a single admin dashboard.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Extensive extension marketplace:<\/strong> Thousands of free and paid extensions are available to add functionality.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Multiple payment gateways:<\/strong> Supports PayPal, Stripe, SagePay, and many more out of the box.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Responsive themes:<\/strong> Many themes are mobile-friendly and optimised for all screen sizes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>SEO-friendly URLs:<\/strong> Built-in SEO tools help your products rank in search engines.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Product reviews and ratings:<\/strong> Allow customers to leave feedback directly on product pages.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Multilingual and multi-currency support:<\/strong> Ideal for businesses selling internationally.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Detailed reporting:<\/strong> Monitor sales, customer behaviour, and stock levels with ease.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Choose_OpenCart_for_Your_Online_Store\"><\/span>Why Choose OpenCart for Your Online Store?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are dozens of eCommerce platforms available, so why should you opt for OpenCart? The answer lies in its balance of simplicity and flexibility. Platforms like Shopify are easy to use but come with ongoing monthly costs and limited customisation. WooCommerce is powerful but requires WordPress knowledge. OpenCart sits comfortably in the middle ground, offering a dedicated eCommerce environment that is straightforward to manage without needing deep technical expertise.<\/p>\n<p>For UK-based businesses in particular, OpenCart has strong community support, a wide range of UK-compatible payment and shipping extensions, and it integrates well with popular accounting tools like Xero and Sage. It is also GDPR-compliant when configured correctly, which is essential for any business operating within the United Kingdom or the European Union.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Do_You_Need_for_OpenCart_Hosting\"><\/span>What Do You Need for OpenCart Hosting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before you install OpenCart, you need to ensure your hosting environment meets the minimum requirements. OpenCart hosting does not demand excessive resources, but there are specific technical prerequisites you should check.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Minimum_Server_Requirements\"><\/span>Minimum Server Requirements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>PHP version 7.3 or higher (PHP 8.x is recommended for newer versions)<\/li>\n<li>MySQL 5.5 or higher, or MariaDB equivalent<\/li>\n<li>A web server such as Apache or Nginx<\/li>\n<li>The following PHP extensions enabled: curl, zip, zlib, gd, mbstring, xml, json<\/li>\n<li>At least 50 MB of free disk space for the core installation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Most shared hosting plans from reputable providers will meet these requirements. If you are unsure, check with your hosting provider before proceeding. For growing stores with significant traffic, a VPS or cloud hosting solution will offer better performance and reliability.<\/p>\n<p>For more guidance on choosing the right hosting environment for your projects, you can visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\" target=\"_blank\">DA Manager blog<\/a>, which covers a range of useful topics for webmasters and developers.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Install_OpenCart_on_Your_Hosting\"><\/span>How to Install OpenCart on Your Hosting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Installing OpenCart on your hosting account is a straightforward process. Follow the steps below to get your store live as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Download_OpenCart\"><\/span>Step 1: Download OpenCart<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Head over to the official OpenCart website at opencart.com and download the latest stable version of the software. The download will come as a compressed ZIP file. Extract the contents on your local computer before proceeding.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Create_a_Database\"><\/span>Step 2: Create a Database<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Log in to your hosting control panel, which is typically cPanel or Plesk. Navigate to the MySQL Databases section and create a new database. Make a note of the database name, username, and password, as you will need these during the installation process. Ensure the database user has full privileges assigned to the database.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Upload_OpenCart_Files\"><\/span>Step 3: Upload OpenCart Files<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Using an FTP client such as FileZilla, or the File Manager tool within your control panel, upload the contents of the <em>upload<\/em> folder from the OpenCart package to your web root directory. This is typically the <strong>public_html<\/strong> folder if you are installing it on your primary domain, or a subdirectory if you prefer a separate folder.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Set_File_Permissions\"><\/span>Step 4: Set File Permissions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before running the installer, you need to set the correct permissions on certain files and folders. The <strong>config.php<\/strong> and <strong>admin\/config.php<\/strong> files should be set to 666 (writable). The <strong>system\/storage<\/strong> and <strong>image<\/strong> directories should also be set to 755 or 777 depending on your server configuration. You can do this via your FTP client or File Manager.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_Run_the_Installation_Wizard\"><\/span>Step 5: Run the Installation Wizard<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Open your web browser and navigate to your domain name. The OpenCart installation wizard should load automatically. Follow the on-screen instructions, which will guide you through accepting the licence agreement, checking server compatibility, entering your database credentials, and setting up your administrator account.<\/p>\n<p>Once the wizard completes, you will be prompted to delete the <strong>install<\/strong> directory from your server. This is an important security step that you should not skip.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_6_Log_In_and_Configure_Your_Store\"><\/span>Step 6: Log In and Configure Your Store<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With the installation complete, log in to your OpenCart admin panel by visiting <strong>yourdomain.com\/admin<\/strong>. From here, you can configure your store settings, add products, set up payment and shipping methods, install extensions, and choose a theme that reflects your brand identity.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_Optimising_Your_OpenCart_Hosting_Setup\"><\/span>Tips for Optimising Your OpenCart Hosting Setup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once your store is live, there are several steps you can take to ensure it runs smoothly and performs well in search engines.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Enable_SEO-Friendly_URLs\"><\/span>Enable SEO-Friendly URLs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In your OpenCart admin, navigate to System &gt; Settings &gt; Server and enable SEO URLs. You will also need to rename the <strong>htaccess.txt<\/strong> file in your root directory to <strong>.htaccess<\/strong> to activate URL rewriting on Apache servers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Install_a_Caching_Extension\"><\/span>Install a Caching Extension<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Page speed is critical for both user experience and search engine rankings. Consider installing a caching extension from the OpenCart marketplace to reduce server load and improve load times.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Keep_OpenCart_Updated\"><\/span>Keep OpenCart Updated<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered in any software platform. Always keep your OpenCart installation, themes, and extensions updated to the latest versions to protect your store and your customers&#8217; data.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>OpenCart is a powerful, flexible, and cost-effective solution for anyone looking to build an online store. With the right OpenCart hosting environment and a straightforward installation process, you can have a fully functional eCommerce site up and running in a matter of hours. Whether you are launching your first shop or migrating from another platform, OpenCart offers the tools and community support you need to succeed in the competitive world of online retail.<\/p>\n<p><\/body><br \/>\n<\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Is OpenCart and How to Install It on Your Hosting<\/p>\n<p>What Is OpenCart and How to Install It on Your Hosting<\/p>\n<p>If you are looking to launch an online shop without spending a fortune on custom development, OpenCart is one of the most popular and reliable solutions available today. Whether you ar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[147],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-general"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16049"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16049\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/da-manager.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}