ZipAtlas – Setup Guide & Server Requirements

Developed by: Mr Arslan CEO

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1. Server Requirements

Before installing ZipAtlas, ensure your hosting environment meets the following minimum requirements.

Minimum Requirements

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• MySQL 5.7 or higher
• PDO MySQL Extension (pdo_mysql)
• mbstring Extension
• JSON Extension
• A web server such as Apache or Nginx
• A MySQL database and database user
• Writable permissions for the required application directories

Recommended Hosting Environment

• PHP 8.x, provided it is compatible with your ZipAtlas version
• MySQL 8.0 or a compatible supported MySQL/MariaDB version
• Apache or Nginx with PHP support
• SSL certificate (HTTPS)
• Sufficient disk space for application files, uploads, and database storage

Note: The minimum PHP and MySQL versions are specified above. Verify compatibility with your hosting environment before upgrading PHP or changing your database version.

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2. Prepare Your Hosting Environment

Before uploading ZipAtlas, prepare your hosting account.

Step 1: Create a MySQL Database

1. Log in to your hosting control panel, such as cPanel.
2. Open the MySQL Databases section.
3. Create a new database.
4. Create a database user and password.
5. Assign the user to the database.
6. Grant the required database privileges.
7. Save the database name, username, and password securely.

You will need these credentials during installation.

Step 2: Configure Your Domain

1. Point your domain or subdomain to your hosting account.
2. Ensure the domain's document root is configured correctly.
3. Enable HTTPS using a valid SSL certificate.
4. Confirm that your domain loads correctly before proceeding.

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3. Upload ZipAtlas Files

Step 3: Upload the Project

1. Log in to your hosting control panel.
2. Open File Manager or connect using FTP/SFTP.
3. Navigate to your website's document root.
4. Upload the ZipAtlas project ZIP file.
5. Extract the ZIP archive.
6. Ensure the application files are placed in the correct directory.

Example:

public_html/
install.php
index.php
uploads/
[Other ZipAtlas application files]

Note: This is an illustrative directory structure.
Your actual project structure may differ.

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4. Configure Folder Permissions

Step 4: Set Writable Permissions

ZipAtlas requires appropriate write permissions for the directories
used by the application.

Ensure the following locations are writable by PHP:

• Project root directory, if required by the installer
• /uploads/
• All required subdirectories inside /uploads/

The original installation instructions specify permissions of 755 or 777.

Important Security Note:
Use the least-permissive permissions that work with your hosting
environment. Avoid 777 whenever possible. If 755 does not provide
the required access, consult your hosting provider for the correct
ownership and permission settings.

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5. Run the Installation Wizard

Step 5: Open the Installer

Open your browser and visit:

https://yourdomain.com/install.php

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name.

If ZipAtlas is installed in a subdirectory, use the corresponding URL.

Example:

https://yourdomain.com/zipatlas/install.php

Step 6: Configure the Database

Follow the on-screen installation wizard.

Enter the database information you created earlier:

• Database Host: Usually localhost, depending on your hosting provider
• Database Name: Your MySQL database name
• Database Username: Your MySQL database username
• Database Password: Your MySQL database password

Review the information carefully before proceeding.

Note: Use the exact database host and credentials provided by
your hosting company.

Step 7: Create the Super Admin Account

During installation:

1. Enter the requested administrator details.
2. Create a secure username and password.
3. Complete the required setup fields.
4. Submit the installation form.
5. Wait for the installer to finish.

Once installation completes, proceed to the website and administrator login pages provided by your application.

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6. Secure Your Installation

Step 8: Delete install.php

After successful installation, immediately delete:

install.php

This is an important security step to prevent unauthorized
installation attempts.

Do not leave the installer publicly accessible after setup.

Additional Security Recommendations

• Use a strong, unique administrator password.
• Keep your hosting account and database credentials private.
• Enable HTTPS across your website.
• Avoid unnecessary file permissions.
• Keep regular backups of your database and application files.
• Restrict access to sensitive configuration files.
• Keep PHP and database software updated to supported versions.

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7. Verify Your Installation

Step 9: Test the Website

After installation, check the following:

• Homepage loads correctly.
• Postal code search functionality works.
• Country, state, and city pages load correctly.
• User registration and login work.
• User dashboard is accessible.
• Admin panel login works.
• Blog pages and categories load correctly.
• Images and uploaded files display correctly.
• REST API endpoints work according to their configuration.
• PWA installation features work on supported devices.
• HTTPS is enabled and functioning correctly.

Test the website on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

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8. Troubleshooting

Database Connection Error

Possible causes:

• Incorrect database name.
• Incorrect database username or password.
• Incorrect database host.
• Database user lacks required privileges.
• MySQL service is unavailable.

Solution: Verify your database credentials and permissions through your hosting control panel.

Permission Denied Error

Possible causes:

• Incorrect directory permissions.
• Incorrect file ownership.
• PHP does not have write access to required directories.

Solution: Check the permissions and ownership of the affected directory. Contact your hosting provider if necessary.

HTTP 500 Internal Server Error

Possible causes:

• PHP compatibility issues.
• Missing PHP extensions.
• Incorrect server configuration.
• Application or file permission errors.

Solution: Check your hosting error logs and confirm that the required PHP extensions are enabled.

Images or Uploads Not Working

Possible causes:

• Upload directory is not writable.
• Incorrect upload path.
• PHP upload restrictions.

Solution: Verify directory permissions and review your hosting's PHP upload limits.

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9. Installation Complete

Congratulations!

ZipAtlas is now ready for you to configure and use.

You can begin managing your postal code platform, users, blog content,
API settings, advertisements, and other available features through
the application interface.

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Support & Credits

Developed by: Mr Arslan CEO

Product: ZipAtlas – PHP Postal Code Discovery SaaS Platform

Coverage: Pakistan and India