---
title: "Migrating with aaPanel | Hostman Docs"
description: "Step-by-step guide to adding a site in aaPanel to host it on a Hostman server. Configure SSL, FTP, and databases, upload your files, and import a database dump."
---

> For the complete documentation index for AI agents, see [llms.txt](https://hostman.com/llms.txt).

After you install aaPanel on the server, the panel's login address and credentials will be displayed in the console.

![Nzfnv Cp4 J9](https://content.hostman.com/assets/1ea032f0-5e8f-4296-bb26-1ee38cdc0692.png?width=692&height=222)

The first time you log in to aaPanel, you'll need to choose a server configuration by selecting the software stack you want installed.

Once the configuration is complete, you're ready to add your site in aaPanel.

## Step 1. Adding a Site

1.  Go to the **Website** section and click **Add site**.
    
2.  In the **Domain name** field, enter your site's address. The **Website path** (home directory) is filled in automatically, but you can change it if needed.
    
3.  Leave **Apply for SSL** checked to issue a Let's Encrypt certificate. If you're planning to use your own certificate, uncheck this option.
    
4.  If you'll be uploading files over FTP, select **Create** under **FTP**.  Enter a username and password in the **FTP User** field, or leave the default values.
    
    You can skip this step if you plan to use the panel's built-in file manager instead. 
    

5.  If your site uses a database, select the database type under **Database**, for example, **MySQL** (the available options depend on your chosen configuration). Enter a username (which also serves as the database name) and password in the **DB User** field, or leave the default values. We recommend using the credentials already specified in your site's configuration file.
    
    If your configuration uses a username that's different from the database name, skip this step and create the database separately in the **Databases** section instead (see below).
    
6.  Once you've filled in all the fields, click **Confirm**.
    

![Aa Panel Linux Panel Website 2026 08 07 12 54](https://content.hostman.com/assets/c5879845-4725-4b5a-9c12-d32bb3e8c46a.png?width=992&height=786)

_Adding a site in [aaPanel](https://www.aapanel.com/)_

aaPanel will then display the credentials for the FTP user and database it created. Make sure to copy these somewhere safe.

## Step 2. Uploading Site Files

You can upload files either through the aaPanel's built-in file manager or via an FTP connection.

### Using the File Manager

1.  Open the **Files** section.
    
2.  Go to your site's home directory.
    
3.  Click **Upload**.
    
4.  Select the files and folders that you want to upload and click **Confirm Upload**.
    

![Aa Panel Linux Panel Files 2026 08 07 13 03](https://content.hostman.com/assets/97dead02-9387-4577-a22e-5d12db778900.png?width=1920&height=869)

_File manager in [aaPanel](https://www.aapanel.com/)_

### Using FTP

To connect over FTP, you'll need an FTP user set up on the server.

If you didn't create one while adding the site, do it now:

1.  Go to the **FTP** section.
    
2.  Click **Add FTP**.
    
3.  Enter a username, password, and the path to the site's home directory.
    
4.  Click **Confirm**.
    

Then connect to your server—for example, using FileZilla—with the following settings:

-   **Host**: your server's IP address
-   **Username**: the FTP username you created
-   **Password**: the user's password
-   **Port**: 21

This connects you to the site's home directory, where you should upload your files.

## Step 3. Importing a Database Dump

Go to the **Databases** section.

If you didn't create a database while adding the site, do it now: click **Add DB**, enter a database name, username, and password (you can find these in your site's configuration file), then click **Confirm**.

![Aa Panel Linux Panel Databases 2026 08 07 13 10](https://content.hostman.com/assets/c68f6d98-3b86-416b-89a9-aebd03a2622f.png?width=672&height=525)

_Creating a database in [aaPanel](https://www.aapanel.com/)_

To import a dump:

1.  In the **Databases** section, click **Import** in the **Backup** column.
    

![Aa Panel Linux Panel Databases 2026 08 07 13 12](https://content.hostman.com/assets/ec07d2d6-2c3a-449e-9ee1-73d80795980a.png?width=1920&height=869)

_Databases section in [aaPanel](https://www.aapanel.com/)_

2.  Click **Upload from local** and select the database dump on your computer.
    
3.  Click **Upload**.
    

Alternatively, you can import the dump through phpMyAdmin:

1.  In the **Databases** section, click the **phpMyAdmin** button.
    

![Aa Panel Linux Panel Databases 2026 08 07 13 44](https://content.hostman.com/assets/24d6aa4a-1d50-48b2-af9b-6fd413f298da.png?width=1920&height=869)

_Databases section in [aaPanel](https://www.aapanel.com/)_

2.  Click **Public access**.
    
3.  Enter the database username and password.
    
4.  Import the dump using the phpMyAdmin interface.
    

> [!NOTE]
> Keep in mind that for your site to work, your domain's A record needs to point to your server's IP address.