The push to put up a website, no matter if it is a business, a blog, or a personal project, usually brings users to WordPress, which is the platform that runs a great deal of the web. At the same time, playing around with themes, plugins, and custom code on a live site is risky. You may cause your site to go down for users. Into this void steps the value of setting out to learn how to install WordPress on localhost.
A local host environment turns your personal computer into a private web server, transforming it into your safe space to develop, break, and revamp your WordPress site without fear of issues in the public web.
Understanding WordPress installation on localhost can give you a private environment for limitless creativity and learning. It is the professional standard for developers and at the same time a smart step for the beginners. You can play with new updates, try out in-depth page builders, and put together custom themes out of no cost host services and without a worry of causing site down time. Through the study of how to install WordPress on localhost, you set the base to become an experienced WordPress manager.
Understanding the Local Server Environment
Before you get up and running with WordPress on your computer, you will need to have a set of software which imitates a live web server. This stack usually includes:
- Apache or Nginx: Server software which processes requests and serves up web pages.
- PHP: What programming language does WordPress use
- MySQL or MariaDB: The platform which WordPress uses to store all your content, settings and user data.
Manually setting up and configuring each of these components is a complex task. Luckily some free all-in-one software packages bundle these elements into a single easy-to-use application that in turn simplify the process of how to install WordPress on localhost.
Choosing Your Local Server Software
First up, you need to choose a local server package. The following are great options for all skill levels.
- Local by Flywheel: This is a favorite among users due to its simplicity and what it brings to the table in terms of power. It has a very clean and intuitive interface which also includes one click WP install. Also, it is what many turn to for site management and the feature to create a temporary live link of your local site to share with others.
- XAMPP: In the field of digital space, XAMPP is a free and open source solution, as well as a very robust and popular one. It has a control panel which gives you into your Apache and MySQL services right at your fingertips which in turn provides a more hands-on experience which is also very educational for those that wish to study the base server mechanics.
- MAMP (Mac or Windows): Similar to XAMPP, MAMP is easy to use when setting up a local server environment. Their Pro version does offer some extra features, but the free version is very much enough for performing local WordPress development and also is a great resource for learning how to install WordPress on localhost.
A “How to” Guide Using Local by Flywheel
To explain how to install WordPress on localhost, we will go through the process using Local by Flywheel which we consider as the best route to a functional local WordPress site.
Step 1: Get and Set up the Software
Go to the Local by Flywheel site and download the version for your OS (Windows or macOS). Run the installer which takes you through the easy setup process. After installation is complete, launch the application.
Step 2: Create a new site
Click the button to create a new site. You will have a prompt to name your site which in turn will form the local dev URL (ex: mynewsite.local). Local will take charge of the environment settings. Set a username and a password for your WordPress admin account.
Now, here’s the fun part: local does the work of the full WordPress installation process for you, including the database creation, which is the base of what you need to get WordPress up and running on your local machine.
Step 3: Access your local WordPress site
Within a few moments your site will go live and will show up in the primary dashboard of the Local app. Go ahead and hit the “Admin” button which will take you to your WordPress dashboard, or click “View Site” to check out your new install. Your local site is fully up and running.
Post-Installation: What is the Next Step?
Upon successful installation of WordPress you may begin to “play around”:
- Select a Theme and Plugins: Check out the WordPress theme directory and put up a design that fits your vision. You can also tweak the SEO plugins, contact forms, and security. As a local set up you will be able to turn plugins on and off without affecting performance or security at all.
- Develop and Test Freely: Change out existing site code, design custom page templates, and see how your site performs. Also which is a great time to work on in-depth performance issues like turning on nginx brotli compression, which you can try out before putting it on the live server.
- Prepare for Launch: Once your local site is tuned up and at the stage of sharing it with the world, you will have to transfer it to a live web hosting service. This process includes saving your database and files which then will be put into your hosting account. Make sure you have a good web hosting backup strategy in place for your live site as when you had a safe “backup” of your localhost during development. At the time of picking out a hosting control panel for your live server many users report that aaPanel do very well in managing the migration as also the on going site care.
Understanding the process of getting WordPress up and running on your local server is more of a professional move than a technical task; it is the base of a stress free workflow. It gives you the ability to build confidence, to learn from your mistakes in a no risk environment, and in the end create a better, more stable site that will go live in much better shape. By taking this very important first step you are ensuring that your public launch is professional, smooth and a result of careful thought out development.