5 Things I Like About The cPanel Web Hosting Control Panel
I have been working with cPanel for as long as I can remember. It is by far the most widely used control panel for web hosting services, including both shared and VPS hosting.
Whenever I’m searching for a new hosting provider, cPanel is almost always one of my top requirements. I’ve used other control panels once or twice maybe, but no other alternative has won me over yet.
Most website owners seem to share the same opinion, based on what I’ve gathered from countless experiences shared on forums, blogs, etc.
Despite the fact that the company has increased licensing prices lately, cPanel remains the top choice for the majority of web hosts, simply because it’s the control panel that the majority of users prefer.
But what makes cPanel such an appealing choice anyway?
Well, it does indeed have numerous useful features and a few unique advantages that other control panels don’t have.
The following is a summary of my personal favorite features of cPanel:
1. Ease of Use
cPanel is very beginner friendly and easy to use. You don’t need to know anything about the Linux command line or server administration to effectively manage all aspects of your web hosting environment. You get various web-based tools with a simple visual interface.
The main dashboard is pretty intuitive. All the tools and functionalities are displayed as icons that are grouped under different tabs; Domains, Files, Email, Databases, etc.
You will likely be able to figure out how to do most things on your own, but in case you get stuck at something, a quick search on Google or your host’s knowledge base will almost always result in an instant answer.
2. File Manager
The File Manager in cPanel is one of my absolute favorite features. It is very smooth and allows you to create, edit, move and delete files and folders on your server using your browser. You don’t need to use an external FTP client, which can be a lot of hassle for a beginner.
One of the things that I love about the File Manager is the ability to zip and unzip files on the server. This is a big time saver when uploading a large number of files. Instead of uploading files and folders individually, you can compress them all into one zip file, upload it to the server and unzip it there.
I usually take advantage of this zip/unzip (compress/extract in cPanel) feature when manually uploading WordPress files to the server.
Tip: If you upload your site’s files in a zip file, don’t forget to delete this file after extracting its contents as it may pose a security risk if it remains on the server.
3. Database Management
Setting up a new MySQL database only takes a few clicks using the Database Wizard in cPanel. You’ll only need to provide a name for the database and then assign a user and add privileges. The user and the corresponding privileges can be modified at any time from the MySQL Databases interface.
Another useful tool that I often use is phpMyAdmin, which is a web-based administration tool for MySQL databases. You just click on the phpMyAdmin icon under the Databases tab and it automatically launches this tool and logs you into the database server.
From the phpMyAdmin interface, you can create new tables inside your databases as well as modify existing tables. You can also run SQL queries from your browser.
Another functionality I find useful is the import and export tool. I usually use it when I need to manually create a backup of a WordPress database, and when moving sites from one host or server to another.
4. WP Toolkit
The WP Toolkit in cPanel allows you to easily manage your WordPress websites from the cPanel interface. You can use it to automatically install a new WordPress site, manage automatic updates, creating a staging site, and manage some security settings.
WP Toolkit is a relatively new feature, so not all web hosts offer it yet. You usually get this tool with managed WordPress hosting services that use cPanel.
I think WP Toolkit is a very useful feature if you are going to host multiple WordPress sites in one account since it simplifies the management process.
5. SSL Management
An SSL certificate is needed for your website to use secure URLs that start with “https”. This is a must-have for all websites these days, even if it’s just a personal WordPress blog.
Not only do users find secure URLs more trustworthy, it will also help your site’s rankings in search engines because Google and other search engines prefer secure sites over insecure ones.
With cPanel, installing and managing SSL certificates for your domains can be done with ease using the provided SSL/TLS tools.
Oftentimes, you’ll get a free SSL certificate with your hosting plan that will be automatically installed for you. You’d still be able to view and modify all existing SSL certificates from your cPanel dashboard.
