Step 1 of 4
Step 1 · Server check

Your server's ready

We checked everything MerakiCMS needs. Green is good; yellow is optional and won't block you.

PHP version
PHP 8.4.23 — good.
ok
Extension · pdo_mysql
Connects to your MySQL database.
ok
Extension · dom
Reads page HTML to find editable regions.
ok
Extension · mbstring
Handles accents, emoji & non-English text.
ok
Extension · gd
Resizes & compresses uploaded images.
ok
Extension · zip
Backups, packages and the go-live gate use it.
ok
Extension · json
Reads and writes the site data format.
ok
PHP version disclosure
expose_php is on, so PHP 8.4.23 is named in responses this engine does not render. Pages served by MerakiCMS already strip it. Turning it off closes the rest, and removes a free answer to "is this host worth attacking?". → cPanel → MultiPHP INI Editor → expose_php → Off.
optional
Form size limit
1000 fields per save. A long page with several repeaters can exceed this, and PHP then drops the rest of the form without saying so. Such a save is refused rather than written half-empty, so nothing is lost — but that page cannot be saved from the settings screen until this is raised. → cPanel → MultiPHP INI Editor → max_input_vars → 5000.
optional
Writable · install folder
writable
ok
Writable · uploads/
writable
ok
Writable · cache/
writable
ok
Writable · backups/
writable
ok
PHP version
PHP 8.4.23 — good.
ok
PHP extension: pdo_mysql
Enabled.
ok
PHP extension: dom
Enabled.
ok
PHP extension: gd
Enabled.
ok
PHP extension: mbstring
Enabled.
ok
PHP extension: zip
Enabled.
ok
Image support: WebP
WebP available.
ok
Writable: the install folder
Writable.
ok
Writable: uploads/
Writable.
ok
Writable: cache/
Writable.
ok
Writable: backups/
Writable.
ok
Everything required is in place. Yellow items are optional.
Step 2 · Database

Connect your database

Paste the MySQL details for this site. Then test the connection before moving on.

Create the database first in cPanel → MySQL Databases: make the DB, make a user, then add the user to the DB with All Privileges. Come back and paste the details here.
On cPanel shared hosting this is almost always localhost — leave it as-is.
cPanel prefixes your account name.
Same prefix, usually.
Step 3 · Your account

Name your site & create your login

This becomes the site owner — an admin account with full access. You can change all of it later.

Step 4 · Install

Ready to build

MerakiCMS will create its tables, your admin account, and a starter page. Takes a few seconds — don't close the tab.