Category: Reflection Journals

This week, we experimented with WordPress, including creating new pages and posts, organizing them into different categories, such as for my Reflection Journals, working on the dashboard, rearranging content, and exploring the Tools page. At first, I kept getting Pages and Posts mixed up, so when I tried to categorize my pages, I couldn’t because I didn’t have any since they were all in my posts. It was a simple fix. I just deleted those posts and transferred the stuff on them into the pages. I gained a better understanding of what pages and posts are and how they differ from each other. Basically, pages categorize the posts.

The database and WordPress installation on my web hosting service work closely together to ensure my website functions correctly. The WordPress files on my hosting account control how the site looks and runs, while the database stores all the content and settings. Whenever I make changes to my site, such as adding a new post, creating a page, or updating the site title, WordPress saves that information in the database instead of in the website files. They work together through a connection defined in the wp-config.php file, which contains the database name, username, and password. When someone visits my site, WordPress uses this connection to pull data from the database and display it using my theme. The database is important because it stores all dynamic content, user accounts, comments, and site configurations. Without it, WordPress wouldn’t be able to load posts, remember settings, or let users log in.

Installing WordPress Remotely

The preparation process for installing WordPress remotely using Hostinger’s auto-install feature was surprisingly straightforward. Before this assignment, I had a basic understanding of FTP and MySQL databases, but hadn’t used them much in a real-world setting. FTP is a method used to transfer files between a local computer and a web server over the Internet. It’s what allows developers to upload, edit, and manage website files remotely. Even though Hostinger’s installer handled most of the setup automatically, I took the time to review how FTP connects to a server and how a MySQL database stores WordPress content. This process helped me understand the connection between the files that make up a website and the database that powers its content. The most challenging part was grasping how these systems communicate, but seeing it all come together in a live environment made the technical side of web hosting much clearer.

For the installation itself, Hostinger’s auto-installer made deploying WordPress to a live server very smooth. I selected the domain, filled in the site title, admin username, and password, and the installer automatically created the necessary MySQL database. Once completed, I logged into the WordPress dashboard and verified that everything was working correctly. There were no significant difficulties, as the auto-install handled most of the configuration. Working locally feels more controlled because you can experiment freely, whereas managing WordPress on a live server requires more caution, as changes immediately affect the public site. Overall, this assignment helped me better understand how local development transitions into a live production environment and gave me confidence in using web hosting tools like Hostinger to deploy real websites.