# Install VulaPrize + VulaPulse in cPanel

1. Upload this ZIP to the cPanel **home directory above `public_html`**, not inside `public_html`, then extract it. The ZIP contains `public_html/` and `vulaprize-app/` at the root.
2. In **cPanel → MySQL Databases**, create a dedicated database and database user. Assign the user to that database with **ALL PRIVILEGES**. Keep the full cPanel-prefixed names.
3. Confirm PHP 8.3+ is selected and `pdo_mysql`, `fileinfo`, and `openssl` are enabled.
4. Open `https://your-domain.co.za/setup.php`. Enter the database host, port, database name, username and password; create your first administrator; confirm the database is intended for this install; and submit.
5. The installer tests the connection, installs the schema on an empty database, ensures default settings/rewards exist, writes `vulaprize-app/.env` outside `public_html`, and creates the first administrator. It never drops existing tables.
6. After the success screen, delete `public_html/setup.php` in File Manager. Then sign in at `https://your-domain.co.za/login`.
7. In the admin area, review **Settings** and **System Health**. Keep `REAL_MONEY_ENABLED=false` until the payment, compliance and staging checks are complete.

## Important

This package was linted and statically checked, and the installer page was smoke-tested over local HTTP. A real database-backed install, login journey, mail delivery, payment callback and cron execution still need to be verified on staging cPanel because the build environment does not have a MySQL server or PDO MySQL driver.