What is cPanel?

A quick primer on the control panel most beginners use to manage their hosting without touching the command line.

cPanel is a web-based control panel that lets you manage your hosting account through a graphical dashboard instead of typing Linux commands. It runs on top of a Linux server and gives you point-and-click access to the tools you need to run a website.

What you can do with cPanel

• Create and manage email accounts tied to your domain
• Upload website files using the File Manager or FTP
• Create and manage MySQL databases for apps like WordPress
• Install applications with Softaculous (WordPress, Joomla, etc.) in one click
• Manage domains, subdomains, and DNS records
• Set up SSL certificates for HTTPS
• Monitor bandwidth and disk usage
• Take and restore backups of your site

Who is it for?

cPanel is ideal if you'd rather manage your server visually than through the terminal. It's the most common choice for beginners, small business sites, WordPress users, and anyone hosting on a shared plan or a managed VPS.