How To Install WordPress Locally on Your Computer

How To Install WordPress Locally on Your Computer

Installing WordPress locally on your computer allows you to develop and test your website without needing to be online. It’s a great way to learn and experiment with WordPress, themes, and plugins. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the installation process step by step.

What You Will Need

• A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux
• Local server software (we recommend XAMPP or MAMP)
• WordPress package (which you can download from the official WordPress website)

Step 1: Download and Install Local Server Software

The first step is to set up a local server environment. We recommend using XAMPP or MAMP.

• XAMPP: Visit the XAMPP website and download the correct version for your operating system. Follow the installation instructions.
• MAMP: For macOS users, go to the MAMP website and download the installer. Follow the prompts to install it.

Step 2: Start Your Local Server

After installing the software, you need to start the local server:

• For XAMPP:

  1. Open the XAMPP Control Panel.
  2. Start the Apache and MySQL modules by clicking the respective ‘Start’ buttons.

• For MAMP:

  1. Open MAMP.
  2. Click on Start Servers.

Step 3: Create a Database for WordPress

Next, you’ll need a database to store your WordPress data:

• Open your web browser and go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin.
• Click on the Databases tab.
• Enter a name for your new database (e.g., wordpress_local) and click Create.

Step 4: Download WordPress

Now, you need to download WordPress:

• Go to the official WordPress website and click the Download WordPress button.
• Once downloaded, unzip the WordPress package.

Step 5: Move WordPress Files to Your Local Server

You need to place the WordPress files in the correct folder:

• For XAMPP, navigate to C:\xampp\htdocs and create a new folder (e.g., wordpress). Move the unzipped WordPress files into this folder.
• For MAMP, go to /Applications/MAMP/htdocs and create a new folder (e.g., wordpress). Move the unzipped WordPress files there.

Step 6: Configure wp-config.php

Setting up the wp-config.php file is crucial for connecting WordPress to your database:

• In the WordPress folder, locate the file wp-config-sample.php and rename it to wp-config.php.
• Open wp-config.php in a text editor and find the following lines:

define('DB_NAME', 'database_name_here');

define('DB_USER', 'username_here');

define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password_here');

• Replace database_name_here with the name of the database you created earlier (e.g., wordpress_local).
• Replace username_here with root (default for XAMPP), and password_here with an empty string (leave it blank). For MAMP, the default user is usually root and the password is root.

Step 7: Install WordPress

With everything configured, it’s time to install WordPress:

• Open your web browser and go to http://localhost/wordpress (or the name of the folder you created).
• Select your language and click Continue.
• Fill in your site title, username, password, and email address. Remember the username and password as you’ll need them to log in.
• Click Install WordPress.

Step 8: Log into Your Local WordPress Site

To access your local WordPress site, go to: http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin

• Enter the username and password you set during installation.
• You should now see your WordPress dashboard, where you can start customizing your site!

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed WordPress locally on your computer. This setup is perfect for testing themes, plugins, or just getting familiar with WordPress without any risks. Happy blogging!