Check the selected Dotclear release and its database and PHP requirements. Inventory themes and plugins before choosing a version, especially if you are bringing an existing blog.

Use the project's current supported release information and the requirements shown for the package you select. If Softaculous offers an older or unsuitable build, follow the current vendor installation process or ask us to confirm a suitable environment. Do not enable an unsupported PHP runtime simply to reproduce an old tutorial.

1. Back up any existing site at the destination. Choose an empty directory or a separate staging hostname for a new installation; never approve overwriting a working site without a migration plan.
2. Open Softaculous where your hosting service includes it. In cPanel, search for Softaculous Apps Installer. In SiteWorx, use Hosting Features > Softaculous where that integration is enabled.
3. Find Dotclear and review the package and requirements before selecting Install. Select the correct HTTPS domain. Leave In Directory empty only when the empty domain root is the intended destination.
4. Complete the application-specific fields and a strong administrator credential stored in a password manager. Supply a reachable administrative email where requested. Review database, backup and update choices instead of accepting unsuitable defaults.
5. Start installation once and wait for the completion result. Record the public and administration URLs. Where this application needs the publisher's own deployment process, complete that process instead of forcing an outdated installer package.

Configure the blog URL, publishing timezone and author accounts. Create a test category and post, then review media handling and comment controls. Keep a clear update route for the application and its extensions.

Select an older post with an image, a comment and a category rather than testing only a newly created text entry. Record its original public URL and author before the trial migration.

1. Open the imported post as a guest and compare the title, author, date, text and comment order.
2. Open its image directly. Confirm it loads from the intended destination rather than silently depending on the old hosting account.
3. Open the category archive and feed to check that the post appears where expected.
4. Test the old URL using the migration's approved redirect or archive arrangement.

Fix media-path and URL mappings in the trial copy before performing the final transfer. Keep the source content and uploads available until both newer and older representative posts pass these checks.

Check a published entry, feed, category archive and image as a guest. Test an author account separately so that permission issues do not remain hidden by administrator access.

If imported posts display broken images, compare their stored paths with the transferred media tree. Preserve redirects for old permalinks when the destination uses a different URL scheme.

Keep files and data together in your recovery plan, test application updates in a copy when practical, and review logs after deployment. If installation fails, record the exact error, selected application/PHP versions and destination path before retrying.

• Choosing and managing applications with Softaculous
• Migrating an older blog to WordPress or a current publishing platform
• Creating Web Hosting backups and planning a restore
• Changing PHP versions, extensions and application limits
• Installing HTMLy and checking the first setup

• Softaculous installation workflow
• Softaculous blogs catalogue