Creating databases for CMS and web applications

Last change on 2026-05-26 • Created on 2026-05-26 • ID: MA-7F00A

In most cases, you do not create a database as an end in itself, but because a web application needs one – a content management system like WordPress, a forum, a shop, or your own PHP application. This section shows you the general workflow and lists the most common CMS that you can run on konsoleH.

The general workflow

No matter which CMS you use, the steps are always the same:

  1. Create a database in konsoleH. Open the menu item MariaDB/MySQL or PostgreSQL (depending on what your CMS supports) and create a new database.
  2. Note down the connection details. You need the hostname, port, database name, username, and password. You can see the hostname and username in the database overview; the port and password are in the confirmation email. For a complete overview of connection details, see the article Connection details for your database.
  3. Install or upload your CMS. Upload your CMS installation files to your web hosting directory.
  4. Enter the connection details in your CMS. Either through the CMS installation wizard or directly in the configuration file.
  5. Complete the installation. The CMS will automatically create the required tables in your database.

Tip: Do not use the main password of your database for your CMS – use the R/W password (for MariaDB/MySQL) instead. This allows your CMS to read and write data, but not to change the table structure. You can find more details in the section on three passwords on the MySQL page.

Overview: common CMS and their database requirements

CMS Recommended database system Where to enter the credentials Note
WordPress MariaDB/MySQL wp-config.php or via the web installer By far the most widely used CMS. The table prefix should not be the default wp_.
Joomla MariaDB/MySQL Through the installation wizard, later in configuration.php When you move to another server, you have to adjust the hostname and credentials in configuration.php.
TYPO3 MariaDB/MySQL (PostgreSQL with limitations) Through the installation wizard, later in LocalConfiguration.php TYPO3 expects UTF-8 (utf8mb4) as its character set. Configure this accordingly when creating the database.
Nextcloud MariaDB/MySQL (recommended) or PostgreSQL Through the web installer on first access, later in config/config.php For larger installations, MariaDB/MySQL is the recommended choice.

Detailed example: setting up WordPress

Since WordPress is by far the most common scenario, let's go through it step by step.

1. Create a database in konsoleH

In konsoleH, open the menu item MariaDB/MySQL and create a new database. Choose a database name (for example mywebsite_wp) and set the three passwords (main password, R/W, R/O).

2. Note down the connection details

From the database overview, note the hostname and the username. You will find the port and the passwords in the confirmation email.

3. Upload WordPress

Upload the WordPress files via FTP or through the file manager to your web hosting directory (typically public_html/ or a subdirectory thereof).

4. Create the file wp-config.php

When you first access your website, WordPress will guide you through a web installer. Alternatively, you can create the file wp-config.php directly from the included template wp-config-sample.php. Enter the following values:

/** Database name */
define( 'DB_NAME', 'mywebsite_wp' );

/** Database username */
define( 'DB_USER', 'mywebsite_wp' );

/** Database password (use the R/W password) */
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'your-r-w-password' );

/** Database hostname (NOT localhost!) */
define( 'DB_HOST', 'mysqlxyz.your-server.de' );

/** Database character set */
define( 'DB_CHARSET', 'utf8mb4' );

/** Table prefix (do not use 'wp_') */
$table_prefix = 'mws_';

⚠️ Replace the values with your own. The hostname mysqlxyz.your-server.de is only a placeholder. You will find the real hostname in the database overview in konsoleH.

5. Run the installation

Open your website in your browser. WordPress will detect that it is not yet set up and guide you through the final steps: website title, admin user, and password for the WordPress backend.

Security tip: Use a custom table prefix (for example mws_ instead of wp_). Automated attacks on WordPress databases often rely on the default prefix.

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