Creating web pages using WebMatrix - Tutorial 1: Download and install the tools.

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In this article we are going to guide you through the process of installing the necessary tools to start creating web pages using WebMatrix.

Step 1: Download Web Platform Installer
We are about to download the required software from the official website of WebMatrix. Navigate to the following URL: https://www.microsoft.com/web/webmatrix/download/. Once there, locate and click on the “Download It Now” button to run the Web Platform Installer. 

The Web Platform Installer serves as a one-stop place for getting the latest components of the Microsoft Web Platform including:
 
• WebMatrix (web development tool),
• Web Server (IIS with IIS Media Services),
• Database (SQL Server 2008 Express),
• Web Apps (free popular ASP.NET and PHP web applications such as Umbraco and WordPress),
• The .Net Framework (.NET),
• Tools (Visual Web Developer Express)
• And finally Extras (PHP for Windows and a trial version of Expression Web 3!).

For now, we are only going to concentrate on installing WebMatrix – feel free to explore all the other resources in your own time

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Step 2: Start the installation

Once the installer is ready, you’ll see the “What’s New?” page – there you can find the details of all the available resources to be installed via the WPI, Web Platform Installer (please refer to the image shown above). You can find more information about each product by simply clicking on the “i” icon next to its name.

For this tutorial,  select ”Getting Started”, and then click the “Install WebMatrix” button to proceed.

Step 3: Finalise the Installation

Best to double-check the contents of your installation – it should look like the figure below. Once you’re finished click on the “I Accept” button.

Step 4: You’re done!

Wait for the setup to download and install the required components. Once it’s finished click on the “Launch” button to run WebMatrix.

What have we done here?
Congratulations, you’ve now installed all the tools you’ll need to build web pages with WebMatrix. Next we’ll build something useful – a “Hello World!” web page. Please stay tuned! :-)