Getting Started with AdminToplist
Everything you need to know to set up and manage your toplist website.
What is AdminToplist?
AdminToplist is a powerful, modern ranking system designed for online communities, gaming sites, and competitive platforms. It allows users to submit their websites, receive votes, and compete for top rankings. With built-in click tracking, anti-cheat protection, and premium membership options, AdminToplist provides everything you need to run a successful toplist.
Fast & Secure
Built with modern PHP 8.1+, secure authentication, and optimized database queries.
Extensible
Plugin system allows you to add custom features and integrations easily.
Responsive
Beautiful interface that works perfectly on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
Installation
System Requirements
- PHP 8.1 or higher
- MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+
- Apache or Nginx web server
- mod_rewrite enabled (for clean URLs)
- 200MB disk space minimum
Installation Steps
1 Download & Upload
Download AdminToplist from your client area and upload the files to your web server using FTP or your hosting control panel.
Upload all files to your web server via FTP or file manager.
2 Create Database
Create a MySQL database and user through your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.). Write down the database name, username, and password.
3 Run Installer
Navigate to your website in a browser. The installer will automatically start.
4 Complete Setup Wizard
Follow the 5-step installation wizard:
- ✓ Step 1: Welcome & system check
- ✓ Step 2: License key
- ✓ Step 3: Database connection details
- ✓ Step 4: Admin account creation
- ✓ Step 5: Installation complete
Important: Delete Installer
After installation completes successfully, delete the /install/ folder for security. You can do this via FTP or your hosting file manager.
Initial Configuration
Once installed, you'll want to configure your toplist settings. Log in to the admin panel with the credentials you created during installation.
Admin Panel Access
https://yourdomain.com/admin/
Essential Settings
General Settings
- • Site Name: Your toplist's name
- • Site Description: Brief description for SEO
- • Contact Email: Where users can reach you
- • Timezone: Set your local timezone
Voting Rules
- • Enable Voting: Turn voting on/off
- • Votes Per Day: How many times a user can vote (default: 1)
- • Cooldown Period: Hours between votes (default: 12)
- • Anti-Cheat: Enable IP-based fraud detection
Ranking System
- • Ranking Method: Total clicks, votes, or mixed
- • Reset Period: Monthly, weekly, or never
- • Featured Sites: Number of sites to highlight on homepage
Voting System
The voting system is the heart of your toplist. Users can vote for their favorite sites, which affects their ranking position.
How Voting Works
-
1
User Clicks "Vote"
Visitor clicks the vote button on a site listing
-
2
Cooldown Check
System checks if user has voted recently (based on IP + cookies)
-
3
Vote Recorded
Vote is counted and ranking is updated in real-time
-
4
User Redirected
Visitor is sent to the site they voted for
Anti-Cheat Protection
AdminToplist includes built-in anti-cheat features:
- • IP-based vote limiting
- • Cookie tracking to prevent multiple votes
- • Configurable click delays
- • Maximum clicks per IP per day
- • Suspicious activity detection
Ranking System
Sites are ranked based on your chosen ranking method. Rankings update in real-time as votes and clicks are recorded.
Ranking Methods
Total Clicks
Sites ranked by number of times clicked/visited
Total Votes
Sites ranked by number of unique votes received
Mixed Score
Combination of clicks, votes, and other factors
Reset Periods
You can configure rankings to reset on a schedule to keep competition fresh:
- • Never: Rankings accumulate forever
- • Monthly: Resets on the 1st of each month
- • Weekly: Resets every Monday
- • Custom: Set your own reset schedule
Featured Sites
Top-ranked sites (configurable number) are automatically featured on your homepage with special styling and prominence. This encourages competition and engagement.
Categories
Organize your toplist with categories to help users find sites relevant to their interests. Categories support unlimited nesting and can be displayed in various layouts.
Category Features
Category Organization
- Create parent and child categories
- Drag-and-drop ordering
- Category icons and colors
- Sites per category limits
- Featured/hidden categories
- Separate ranking per category
Screenshots System
Automatically capture and display screenshots of listed websites. The screenshot system helps users preview sites before clicking through and adds visual appeal to your toplist.
Screenshot Features
Automated Capture
Automatically take screenshots of new sites using built-in screenshot services or manual uploads.
Manual Upload
Upload custom screenshots for each site. Control exactly how your listings appear.
Auto Refresh
Schedule automatic screenshot updates to keep visuals fresh and detect site changes.
Website Management
The admin panel provides comprehensive tools to manage all submitted websites, edit their details, adjust rankings, and moderate content.
Management Tools
Site Management
- Edit Details: Update site title, description, URL, category, and custom fields
- Status Control: Activate, suspend, or delete sites
- Featured Sites: Pin sites to the top regardless of ranking
- Bulk Actions: Delete, approve, or change category for multiple sites
Statistics & Tracking
- Click Tracking: View total and unique clicks per site
- Vote History: See all votes with IP addresses and timestamps
- Ranking Changes: Track position changes over time
- Manual Adjustments: Add or reset votes/clicks manually
Approval System
Control which sites appear on your toplist with manual or automatic approval workflows. Review submissions before they go live to ensure quality and relevance.
Approval Settings
Approval Settings
Automatic Approval
Sites are published immediately after submission. Best for high-trust communities.
Manual Approval
Admin must review and approve each site before it appears. Ensures quality control.
Auto-Approval with Filters
Automatic approval with profanity filter, blacklist check, and URL validation.
Email Notifications
Get notified when new sites are submitted for review or automatically approved.
Custom Join Fields
Create custom fields to collect additional information from site owners during registration. Fields support hierarchical relationships, validation, and conditional display.
Field Types & Features
Field Types
- Text Input: Single line text fields
- Textarea: Multi-line text areas
- Dropdown: Select from predefined options
- Checkbox: Yes/no or multiple selections
- Radio Buttons: Single selection from list
- Date Picker: Date selection fields
Advanced Features
- Validation Rules: Required fields, min/max length, regex patterns
- Conditional Logic: Show/hide fields based on other field values
- Field Groups: Organize related fields together
- Help Text: Add descriptions and tooltips
- Display Templates: Control how fields appear in listings
Hierarchical Field System
Create parent-child relationships between fields to build dynamic forms. For example, selecting a game genre could show specific fields related to that genre.
Example: Genre (Dropdown) → If "MMORPG" → Show "Player Count", "PvP Type", "Subscription Model"
Appearance & Customization
Customize the look and feel of your toplist without touching core files. Add your own CSS, JavaScript, and create a unique brand identity.
Customization Options
Custom CSS
Add your own styles to override default theme. Changes are preserved during updates.
/* Custom styles */
.site-card {
border-radius: 20px;
}
Custom JavaScript
Add custom functionality, analytics, or interactive features to your toplist.
// Add analytics
gtag('config', 'GA-ID');
Theme Settings
Customize colors, fonts, logo, favicon, and layout options through the admin panel.
Email Templates
Customize all automated emails sent by your toplist. Edit templates with HTML/CSS and use dynamic variables for personalization.
Template Management
Available Templates
- Welcome Email (user registration)
- Site Approval/Rejection
- Password Reset
- Premium Activation
- Premium Expiration Reminder
- Vote Confirmation (optional)
- Admin Notifications
Template Variables
Use these dynamic placeholders in your templates:
{site_name} - Your toplist name
{user_name} - Recipient's name
{user_email} - User email
{site_title} - Website title
{site_url} - Website URL
{premium_plan} - Plan name
{expiry_date} - Expiration date
{reset_link} - Password reset URL
About Us Page
Edit and customize your About Us page directly from the admin panel. Create your own content to tell visitors about your toplist, its history, and your mission.
Page Editor
About Us Editor
- HTML/WYSIWYG editor for easy editing
- Add your toplist's story and mission
- Include team information and contact details
- Accessible at /about.php on your site
- Changes save instantly
What to Include
- Your Story: Why you created this toplist
- Mission: Goals and values of your community
- Team Info: Who runs the toplist
- Contact: How users can reach you
- History: When you started and achievements