Create a database in Plesk and manage it with phpMyAdmin

A database is the foundation beneath almost every dynamic website, from a WordPress site to a web shop or a custom application. This guide shows you how to create a database in Plesk and manage it with phpMyAdmin: from setting up a user and password to importing, exporting and connecting it to WordPress through wp-config.php. Every LJPc hosting package includes an unlimited number of databases, so you can set up as many as you need.

What is a database and what do you use it for?

A database is a structured store for your website's data: posts, pages, users, orders and settings. Content management systems such as WordPress, Joomla and Magento keep almost everything in a database. Your site's files (themes, plugins and images) sit separately on the web server, while the content lives in the database.

On our hosting you create databases in Plesk, the control panel you use to manage your hosting. Plesk manages the database as MySQL. The underlying engine is usually MariaDB, a variant that is fully MySQL compatible. For WordPress and almost all other software this makes no difference: you simply use the MySQL settings.

Before you begin

• An active LJPc hosting package with access to Plesk.
• Your hosting login details. You open Plesk from the customer portal using the Log in to Plesk button. It opens Plesk in a new tab, without a separate login.
• If you are linking the database to an existing site, it helps to have the name of that domain to hand.

Create a database in Plesk (step by step)

Creating a database takes less than a minute. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to Plesk.
2. In the menu, open Websites & Domains and go to Databases.
3. Click Add Database.
4. Enter a recognisable name in the Database name field, for example mysite. Plesk often adds a prefix automatically, such as a user or subscription prefix. Note the full name, as you will need it later.
5. In the Related site box, choose the website this database belongs to. That way you can see at a glance which database is used by which site.
6. Tick Create a database user and enter a user name and a strong password. Every database needs at least one user to be accessible.
7. Click OK to create the database.

Write down the database name, the user name and the password in a safe place. You need these three details to connect your website to the database. Keep in mind that the user name in Plesk can have a limited length, so choose a short name and leave room for the prefix.

Manage your database with phpMyAdmin

phpMyAdmin is the web tool you use to work directly in your database: viewing tables, editing data and running SQL commands. You open phpMyAdmin from Plesk.

1. Go to Websites & Domains and then Databases.
2. Click phpMyAdmin next to your database.

Plesk almost always logs you in automatically with the linked database user, so you do not have to type a separate password. On the left in phpMyAdmin you see your database tables. Be careful with changes, because the wrong command can delete data. Make an export before you change anything.

Import a database: uploading an SQL file

Moving an existing database, for example during a migration? Then you import an SQL file, also called a dump. There are two routes.

Import through Plesk (recommended for larger files)

1. Go to Databases and click Import Dump next to your database.
2. Choose your file. You upload a .sql file or a compressed .zip archive from your computer, or you pick a file that is already on the server.
3. Confirm to start the import.

Import through phpMyAdmin

1. Open phpMyAdmin and select your database on the left.
2. Click Import at the top.
3. Choose your file, leave the format set to SQL and click Go.

phpMyAdmin works well for small to medium databases. For large files you run into the maximum upload size. The most reliable route is then to upload the SQL file through FTP or SFTP to your website's folder and pick it in Import Dump as a file that is already on the server. Compressing the file to a .zip only makes a browser upload smaller.

Export a database: making a backup

An export is a snapshot of your database that you can keep or restore. Always make an export before you carry out major changes. A database export is also part of making a full backup of your website.

Export through phpMyAdmin

1. Open phpMyAdmin and select your database.
2. Click Export.
3. Choose the Quick method and the SQL format, then click Go. Your browser downloads a .sql file.

Export through Plesk

1. Go to Databases and click Export Dump next to your database.
2. Plesk creates a dump: an SQL file inside a ZIP. Turn on Automatically download dump after creation if you want to save the file straight away.

Connect a database to WordPress (wp-config.php)

WordPress keeps all content in a database. For a fresh install the setup wizard handles the connection, but for a migration or a manual install you set the details yourself in the wp-config.php file.

Open wp-config.php with the File Manager in Plesk or through FTP/SFTP and check these four lines:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'database_name' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'database_user' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'your_password' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

For DB_NAME enter the full database name (including the prefix), for DB_USER the database user and for DB_PASSWORD the password you set in Plesk. On our hosting DB_HOST is almost always localhost, because the database runs on the same server as your site. Save the file and reload your website.

Make a copy of wp-config.php before you edit it, so you can always go back. Also make a database backup before you update WordPress safely, so you can restore quickly if something goes wrong.

Multiple databases for multiple websites

Running several websites? Give each site its own database. That keeps the data separate, makes your backups clearer and stops a problem on one site from affecting another. Every LJPc hosting package includes an unlimited number of databases, so you never hit a limit and you only pay for the storage you use.

Use the Related site field when you create a database, so your overview shows which database belongs to which website. If you do want several WordPress installations in one database, give each install a unique table prefix to avoid clashes. Clean up databases you no longer use, because that keeps your hosting tidy and helps towards a faster website.

Fixing common errors

Stuck? This table helps you solve the most common problems quickly.

Still stuck? Feel free to contact support and we will help you create or manage your database.