How to install WordPress locally

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This page explains how to build a local environment and install WordPress. It covers everything from introducing tools that allow you to build a local environment to how to build a local environment using Local.

What is the Local Environment?

A local environment is to build a server to run WordPress within your own computer.

It is also called a virtual environment or test environment.

Downloading WordPress to a Windows or Mac PC will not work. WordPress will only work if you install it on a server that meets the requirements.

For more information on server requirements, please see the following articles.

Why do we need a Local Environment?

When you publish your site, you can rent a server and install WordPress.

If you want to customize a theme or plugin, modifying a WordPress theme or plugin on your hosting server as is may accidentally stop working.

If you have a local environment, you can verify the operation and then reflect the customized content on your site.

Tools for building a Local Environment

The following tools are available to help you build a local WordPress environment on your own computer.

The tools can be broadly divided into GUI and CUI depending on the method of operation.

GUI

XAMPP

XAMPP is a PHP development environment packaged with Apache/MariaDB/PHP/Perl.

XAMPP is named after the following acronyms.

XAMPP

MAMP

MAMP is a package that allows you to set up a local server environment on Windows or macOS.

Available to install Apache, Nginx, PHP and MySQL.

MAMP

Local

Local is a simple way to build a local WordPress environment, even for beginners. This is a tool that allows you to.

Select the PHP and MySQL versions and even create multiple sites. Publish URLs to share your local environment with others.

Local(by flywheel)

Bitnami

Bitnami is a software that allows you to build a local environment that supports a variety of CMS services.

Bitnami

CUI

VCCW

VCCW is a WordPress development environment that runs on VirtualBox. It is named after the acronym Vagrant/Chef/CentOS/WordPress.

VCCW

Docker

Docker is a container virtualization tool, developed by Docker Inc made.

Docker

Which tool to choose?

here are many tools available for setting up a local environment. Choose the one that best suits your purpose and level of difficulty.

The following is a summary of the features of each tool for your reference when choosing.

XAMPPMAMPLocalBitnamiVCCWDocker
Windows
Mac
Linux
Web ServerApacheNginx /
Apache
Nginx /
Apache
Nginx /
Apache
Nginx /
Apache
Nginx /
Apache
DatabaseMariaDBMySQLMySQLMySQLMySQLMySQL
Operating methodsGUIGUIGUIGUICUICUI
Level of DifficultyMiddleMiddleLowMiddleHighHigh

Steps to set up a Local Environment

Here are the steps to install WordPress on your local environment using LOCAL.

Building with Local

This section covers the process of downloading, installing and setting up LOCAL.

Download

Go to Local and click the FREE DOWNLOAD button.

Download Local

Select the platform.

  1. Select Please choose your platform
  2. Select the platform (e.g. Windows) on which you want to install
Choose platform
  1. Input First Name
  2. Input Last Name
  3. Input Work Email
  4. Input Phone Number
  5. Click GET IT NOW! button
Input Information

The download will begin.

If the download does not start automatically, please click here.

Start Download

Install

Double-click the downloaded Local.

Launching Applications

Set up Local and make it available to all users or only for the current user.

  1. Select which users you want to install to
  2. Click the Next button
Choose Installation Options

Select the folder where you want to install Local. Click the Install button to start the installation.

Choose Install Location

Local has been installed. Click the Finish button.

Installation Complete

Setup

Tems of Service

Select Turn on Error Reporting if you want to send a report in case of an error. If you do not want to send the report, click the No button.

Error Reporting

Click the × button.

Introducing Function

Click CREATE A NEW SITE button.

Create Site
  1. Enter a site name
  2. Click CONTINUE button
Site Name

Click CONTINUE button.

Choose enviroment
  1. Input WordPress Username
  2. Input WordPress Password
  3. Click ADD SITE button

It will take a little while for the site to be added. Once it is blocked by your firewall, you can allow access.

Setup WordPress

Now that you have installed WordPress in your local environment, click the ADMIN button and click measure.

Setup completed
  1. Input Username
  2. Input Password
  3. Click Log In button
Login

Log in to WordPress installed in your local environment.

Admin Screen

Where to save the theme

The location of your WordPress installation in your local environment is listed under your site name.

Click on the icon next to the folder path to open the explorer.

Path

Go to “app\public\wp-content\themes” to customize your WordPress theme.

customize your WordPress

Adding Multiple Sites

Click the + button to add a site in Local. Setup.

If installation is not possible in the local environment

Duplicate Ports

The error occurs if there are duplicate ports, for example in XAMPP. Change the port number of the duplicated software or stop the software.

There is an example of a port conflict with Skype.

Error establishing a database connection

If Error establishing a database connection occurs in XAMPP or MAMP, for example, it’s probably because MySQL is not running.

Start MySQL from Control Panel.

Error VT-X/AMD-V

When installing Local, the following VT-X/AMD-V errors may occur.

Error creating machine: Error in driver during machine creation:
This computer does’nt have VT-X/AMD-V enabled.
Enabling it the BIOS is mandatory.

Enable Intel Virtualization Technology in the BIOS.

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