Create an Online Database

Online databases are the backbone of virtually every website these days. Webmasters looking to provide their visitors with dynamic information use online databases to gather, hold and share this data. Not many people understand, or see, the containers that hold those news articles or recipes they search the Internet for, but they are there, and they are the power of any website. If you plan to host your own dynamic data, you need to learn how to create an online database. All the pretty colors and design are nothing with a powerful data system running in the background.

Instructions

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   • 1
     Map out your site and think about the information your online database will gather. You need to know what type of data you will be presenting to your visitors.
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     Purchase a hosting account and domain name. The hosting account is the server location that will house all of your web pages and databases. The domain name is a way for your visitors to find your site in a browser. Make sure that the hosting account has SQL databases included in the package.
   • 3
     Go to your Control Panel (cPanel). With every hosting account, there is a control panel that allows you to control various aspects of the site. cPanel is a software program nearly every hosting company offers as a benefit to their account holders. There are still a couple of hosting companies that offer only a Linux-based account, but these types of accounts are too advanced even for the experienced webmaster. You need extensive knowledge of Unix commands to even begin to work in this type of account. Make sure that your hosting account has cPanel before purchasing the hosting account, but you shouldn't have to worry about it; using the Windows environment of cPanel is much more common. After you purchase the hosting account, the hosting company will send you an email with instructions on how to access your cPanel.
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     In cPanel, click on "MySQL Databases." You'll get a list of all the databases and users you currently have. There is always at least one default database already set up. At the top of the page, you will see a text box under "Create New Database." Type in the name of your new database and click "Create Database." The new database is created.
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     Add a user to the database. Still in MySQL Databases, you can assign a user to the database. The primary account holder is already there. You can create other users or assign a previously created user to the database. Choose a user from the "User" drop-down box and then the name of the database from the other drop-down box. Click "Add."
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     Go back to the Home screen and click on "PHPMyAdmin." This screen will allow you to add tables and data to your newly created online database.