How To Create A Backend Database For My Website

PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY O4, 2015 – ARTICLE: CREATE YOUR OWN DATABASE DRIVEN WEBSITE

Over the last few years, the internet hype has moved from just owning a website to owning a database driven website. If you have some background in IT and have been trying to create a website for your business, this is something you must be puzzled about.

Delving Into Database Driven Websites
As a budding entrepreneur with basics in HTML websites, you must be wondering what the big fuss is all about because most global brands have, after all, been using static websites.

To appreciate emphasis on a database driven website, consider these two types of web pages you can create:

Static/non-dynamic websites: These websites look the same and content does not change seamlessly as it loads into the database. Every time your website is loaded or a user clicks on a button, there is no apparent change hence the term non-dynamic. For there to be change, you have to do it yourself and upload the new version of the page to a browser.
Dynamic websites: This is where a database driven website falls and these pages can change every time they are loaded without the input of a DBA. A database driven web page grabs information from the database and loads the same into the webpage each time it is loaded. Once information in the database changes, this website also changes without any need for human input.

It goes without saying that a database driven website is an integral part of every business
platform. Real-time is the future of contemporary business, especially now that online users are looking for instantaneous solutions.

Creating Your Database Driven Website

How to create your own database driven website

Having discovered the advantages of this type of website it behooves on you to get some insight on how to build a website for your business. Here are some steps and factors to consider:

1. Critical Role Of PHP And MySQL

In static websites, you create your site with HTML, CSS and Java which requires you to upload your website building files to another location. Whether it is a web hosting service, an ISP or a web server set by your business, this changes when it comes to using PHP. PHP is a server-side scripting language which serves as a plugin for your web server to enable it run PHP scripts. Basically, you will have to download PHP and install it for it to be able to carry out this function.

2. Downloading PHP On Own Web Server

Whether you are using Linux, Mac OS or Windows, you will need PHP and MySQL which is your database for your website. If you are lucky then your web host's server already has PHP and MySQL, which means you will not have to install.

3. Installing PHP And MySQL Together On Windows

One way to handle this double-prong installation is to do it together as follows. You need:

Windows, Apache, MySQL, and PHP (WampServer), a one-in-all installation program to make your work easy. This program contains the current versions of this software.

Once you have it, follow the easy installation procedure by identifying the location, most preferably the default installation directory in your machine.

Choose your default browser and if you are not using Firefox, just choose an executable file where your browser is located.

APACHE HTTP, a popular web server for PHP development, will appear and Windows will issue an alert as WampServer installs.

Type in your ISP's SMTP server address and your email when prompted.

Fire up WampServer when installation is complete and try it out on your localhost menu item at the top of the box.

If you are a business owner and you don't have adequate IT skills, this process might get tricky and you can call in web development experts from RemoteDBA.com to guide you through the process. Or sign up here and create a website using Easysite the site builder for people that have no web design or coding knowledge. That's right even your Granny could make a website with Easysite.com its just so easy. If you want to get your hands dirty, you can opt for the longer per- package installation delineated below.

4. Individual One-package Installation

This process might take time, but it is the way to go if you want to learn the workings of PHP and MySQL. Installation of MySQL database is no big deal because you can do it online free of charge from the free MySQL Community Server.

You will then follow the Windows links depending on whether you are using the 64-bit or 32-bit version.

Go through the installation process, through the set up and configure MySQL server now to launch the configuration wizard.

The installation wizard will request for this information which you will fill as indicated;

Server type: Developer machine.
Database: Non-transactional database only.
Connection limit: Decision Support (DSS) /OLAP.
Networking options: Enable strict mode option.
Default character set: Best Support For Multilingualism.
Windows option: Allow MySQL as Windows Service and make it easier to run
MySQL's admin tools from the command prompt by including Bin Directory in Windows Assistant.
Security options: Modify the security settings options to learn these settings with assistance of the wizard before learning the ropes.

You can verify the wizard is working by opening the task manager to check whether the program is running.

5. Installing PHP Individually

Start by choosing the latest version of PHP and select either the installer version, which is quicker, or opt for the zipped package for manual installation. For some Windows versions, including XP and Vista, you need to install your own web server to develop a database driven website as they have no internet Information Services (IIS).

Things get a bit tricky here because it is not common to host websites built with PHP on IIS. Linux OS is more popular to host PHP-powered sites, but then again if you are working in an environment where the company has invested in asp.net technologies, you better use IIS infrastructure to host your website.

The easiest way around this issue is to simply go to install.txt and get an easy PHP installation process that will ensure you have a running website.

Truth be told, you might find it too cumbersome to go through the whole installation procedure, but the fruits of your Windows MySQL driven websites will revolutionize your business. If you don't have the time, or the necessary skills, calling a remote database administration expert is easy and they will complete everything for you. All you will have to do is log in and start administering your website.

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