Install and configure ExpressionEngine in the ServBay environment

What is ExpressionEngine?

ExpressionEngine is a powerful and flexible content management system (CMS) suitable for building various types of websites. It offers rich features and a modular architecture, allowing developers to easily create complex websites.

Steps to install ExpressionEngine

In this article, we will introduce how to install and configure ExpressionEngine in the ServBay environment.

Step 1: Download ExpressionEngine

First, create a new project directory in the www directory of ServBay and download ExpressionEngine:

cd /Applications/ServBay/www
mkdir servbay-ee-app
cd servbay-ee-app
curl -L https://expressionengine.com/latest -o expressionengine.zip

Step 2: Unzip ExpressionEngine

Unzip the downloaded ExpressionEngine package into the project directory:

unzip expressionengine.zip
rm expressionengine.zip

Step 3: Create database and user

1. Access the phpMyAdmin database management tool included with ServBay

   Open https://servbay.host/, click "phpMyAdmin" to enter the phpMyAdmin database management tool.

2. Create a database user

   1. Enter the user accounts page

      • On the main page of phpMyAdmin, click "User accounts" in the top menu.

   2. Add a new user

      • Click "Add user account".
      • Fill in the following information:
        • Username: ee_user
        • Hostname: localhost
        • Password: enter a secure password, such as password123
        • Re-enter: re-enter the password
      • In the "Database for user" section, select "Create database with same name and grant all privileges".
      • Make sure to select "Grant all privileges".
      • Click the "Go" button.

Step 4: Configure the web server

1. Add a new site

   Open ServBay, click the "Host" tab, and add a new site:

   • Name: My EE Site
   • Domain: servbay-ee.local
   • Site Type: PHP
   • PHP Version: select the appropriate PHP version
   • Site Root Directory: /Applications/ServBay/www/servbay-ee-app

2. Save configuration

   Save the configuration.

Step 5: Run the ExpressionEngine installer

1. Access the installation page

   Open the browser and visit https://servbay-ee.local/admin.php, you will see the ExpressionEngine installation page.

2. Fill in the database information

   Follow the on-screen instructions to fill in the database connection information:

   • Database Host: localhost
   • Database Name: ee_user (same as the username)
   • Database Username: ee_user
   • Database Password: password123

3. Fill in admin information

   Follow the on-screen instructions to fill in admin username, password, and other information.

4. Complete the installation

   Click the "Install" button to complete the installation process.

Step 6: Install plugins and templates

1. Install plugins

   Log in to the ExpressionEngine control panel, click "Developer" -> "Add-Ons", search for and install the plugins you need.

2. Install templates

   Install and configure templates as needed.

Using ExpressionEngine to build a website

Now that you have successfully installed and configured ExpressionEngine in the ServBay environment, you can start using it to build your website. Here are some common operations:

Create channels and entries

1. Create channels

   In the ExpressionEngine control panel, click "Content Structure" -> "Channel Manager", create a new channel, fill in the channel name and other settings, then click "Save Channel".

2. Create entries

   Click "Content" -> "Publish", select the channel you just created, fill in the entry title and content, then click "Save".

Configure navigation menus

1. Create menus

   In the ExpressionEngine control panel, click "Design" -> "Template Manager", create a new template group and create a navigation menu template within it.

2. Add menu items

   Add pages and entries to the navigation menu, then click "Save Template".

Customize widgets

1. Add widgets

   In the ExpressionEngine control panel, click "Design" -> "Template Manager", create a new template group and create widgets templates within it.

2. Configure widgets

   Configure the widget settings as needed, then click "Save Template".

By following the above steps, you have successfully installed and configured ExpressionEngine in the ServBay environment and started using it to build your website. The powerful features and flexibility of ExpressionEngine make it an ideal choice for building various types of websites.