Get your hosting ready
Choose any compatible hosting account. Check PHP 8.3/8.4, required PHP extensions, MySQL/MariaDB, HTTPS and writable private storage.
YOUR DOMAIN · COMPATIBLE CPANEL HOST84PAD HELP & GUIDES
A little help.
A lot more made.
Simple, step-by-step help for setting up your site and getting the most from the tools included with 84Pad.
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01 / GET STARTED
From a fresh account to your first page.
Use a PHP/MySQL-compatible hosting account from any provider and follow the instructions supplied with your exact Core release.
Download the 84Pad Core framework
Use the single Core download from the official 84Pad site. Core is independent of plugins. Install optional Builder, themes and tools from compatible signed packages when they are available.
ONE OFFICIAL SOFTWARE DOWNLOADConfigure PHP Core securely
Use the exact release’s PHP installer documentation. Keep application secrets outside public files, create an empty MySQL/MariaDB database, and complete private owner setup over HTTPS. Do not expose setup tokens.
KEEP APP DATA PRIVATEFinish the setup and verify the site
Follow the Core package instructions for its public web root, database and domain. Enable HTTPS, finish setup as the owner, and verify login, file permissions and extension compatibility.
PUBLIC SITE + SECURE CORE API✦
Need help with your plan? 84PAD is hosting-provider independent. cPanel providers can differ in PHP extensions, API access, AutoSSL and storage permissions, so verify the technical requirements with your provider.
02 / DESIGN YOUR SITE
Make a page, your way.
The visual Builder helps you turn a starting layout into a site that feels like yours.
84Pad Builder Suite
Choose a ready-made page, arrange sections, add content blocks, and check how your design looks on different screen sizes.
- Open Builder from Studio.
- Choose a starter design or begin with a blank page.
- Add and arrange sections, then edit text, images, and styles.
- Preview desktop and mobile sizes; save your changes.
- Publish when you are ready for visitors.
No code is needed for everyday page design. A blog, portfolio, service site, or product catalogue can all start from the same flexible canvas.
03 / FIND YOUR LOOK
Choose a theme. Keep making it yours.
Eight built-in design systems give you a polished starting point, not a locked-in layout.
Change the style in Studio
Open Themes, choose a design, and set it as your site’s current look. Then use Builder to edit page layouts and your theme’s available colors, typography, and design tokens.
Built-in themes are included with Core. 84Pad theme packages use the 84Pad .pad format; other CMS theme packages are not compatible.
04 / YOUR INCLUDED TOOLKIT
Small guides for each tool.
These first-party tools are included with 84Pad Core. There are no separate 84Pad plugin fees.
▦Builder SuitePages, sections, starter designs, and responsive editing+
Create a page from a starter design, customize its sections and content, preview it at different widths, then save and publish. The Builder also provides the shared visual workspace for page design, SEO fields, forms, insights, backups, and product catalogue tools.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
◫BackupScheduled snapshots, exports, restore points, and retention+
Open Backups, choose a schedule and retention period, or create a manual safe point before a big edit. Export a snapshot when you want a separate copy. Restore points currently cover page and product-catalog data; they are not a full server or media-file backup, so keep your hosting account’s files and database protected separately.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
⌑SSL ConsoleLet’s Encrypt, certificate checks, expiry timers, and cPanel AutoSSL+
Direct Let’s Encrypt: on a configured supported server, Certbot requests and renews certificates; the domain must pass the certificate authority’s validation and the server must install and load the certificate. cPanel route: connect a cPanel API token in Core Settings, then ask cPanel to run its provider-managed AutoSSL check. That is separate from 84Pad’s direct Certbot path. Wildcard certificates need DNS validation hooks.
84Pad includes the SSL tools without an 84Pad subscription fee. Certificate issuance still depends on DNS, the hosting provider, and a compatible server setup.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
⌕Search EssentialsSite search, page metadata, sitemap, robots, and canonical links+
Use Search Essentials to manage the site search and the basic page-discovery settings available today. Review each page’s title and description, check canonical URLs, and keep sitemap and robots settings accurate. A dedicated 84Pad SEO plugin is planned as a future addition.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
⌁InsightsAggregate page views, top pages, referrers, and devices+
Open Insights to review high-level traffic patterns and the pages people visit. It is designed for aggregate reporting without analytics cookies or stored visitor identifiers.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
✉Forms & InboxCollect enquiries and keep replies in one workspace+
Add a contact form to a page, choose the fields visitors should fill in, and review new enquiries in the Studio inbox. Search submissions, update their status, and export a CSV when you need a working copy.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
◇StorefrontProducts, prices, inventory, and public catalogues+
Add products with names, descriptions, prices, SKUs, inventory, and images, then display them in public catalogue grids. Storefront currently does not process carts, checkout, tax, or payments; add a separate supported checkout service if your business needs to take online payments.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGH · COMING SOON
05 / COMMON QUESTIONS
Good to know before you begin.
Does Core install in one click like WordPress?
The PHP Core preview is not production approved. Follow its included installer instructions on a host with PHP 8.3/8.4 and MySQL/MariaDB; never deploy a preview build to a live customer site without testing.
What is free, and what does ParmTech sell?
84Pad Core, Builder, first-party tools, and built-in themes stay free for life. You can use any provider whose PHP, database, SSL and permission settings meet your Core release requirements.
Do I have to buy separate Builder, SSL, or backup plugins?
No separate 84Pad purchase or subscription is needed for the included first-party tools. SSL activation depends on your host and server setup, and backup snapshots currently cover supported 84Pad page and catalogue data.
Can I install WordPress plugins or themes?
No. 84PAD accepts packages built for its versioned plugin contracts and signed by a trusted publisher. WordPress plugins and themes do not run in 84Pad.
Will there be video tutorials?
Yes. Written guides are here first. Video walkthroughs can be added to the matching guide when the 84Pad YouTube tutorials are ready.
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