The Intricacies of Running a WordPress Site Locally

Living in the online world, one cannot deny the need for a website, whether it be for a business or an individual. WordPress is highly acclaimed amongst the most popular platforms to craft and manage an efficient website. But, before launching your website, testing it locally, always helps avoid any technical issues and keep your visitors happy. Here, we will walk you through the perplexity of how to run a WordPress site locally.

Step 1: Installing a Local Server

To run a WordPress site locally, a local server is mandatory on your system. Open-source software like WAMP, MAMP, and XAMPP offer free software packages with essential tools to run a webserver. We will choose XAMPP for this article. To install XAMPP, follow the instructions given below:

1. Obtain XAMPP from its official website.
2. Run the installer and proceed as per the on-screen instructions.
3. During the installation, you will come across a prompt to choose the desired components you wish to install. We suggest choosing PHP, Apache and MySQL, which are crucial elements required to run WordPress.
4. Once the installation has finished, open the XAMPP control panel and start the Apache and MySQL services.

Step 2: Creating a Database

With XAMPP installed and running, the next step is to create a database that will hold all of your website’s content. Follow the below steps to create a database using XAMPP:

1. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost/phpmyadmin/.
2. Click on the “Databases” tab from the top.
3. Give your database a name, such as “wordpress,” and tap “Create.”
4. Your database is now ready to use.

Step 3: Download WordPress

Move onto the next step, which involves downloading WordPress. It can be downloaded from the official website free of cost. Once downloaded, save the file to your computer, and remember the location. The file will have a compressed zip format, so it is necessary to extract it before installation.

Step 4: Install WordPress

The WordPress setup process is now clear to commence with. Follow the below steps to install WordPress locally:

1. Extract the compressed WordPress file to the htdocs folder present inside the XAMPP installation directory.
2. Rename the extracted folder to anything personalized such as “mywebsite” or “localwordpress.”
3. Go to http://localhost/mywebsite/ in your browser to open the WordPress installer.
4. Select your language preference and continue.
5. The next step involves entering your database’s details, including the name and username/password that you set up during the XAMPP installation. Ensure that the database host is set to “localhost.”
6. Submit your details.
7. If everything is set up correctly, you will be prompted with a “Run the installation” button. Click it.
8. You will notice a window that presents website information such as the site title, username, and password. Enter the required details.
9. By clicking the “Install WordPress” button, you initiate the completion of the installation process.
10. After successful installation, log in with the username and password that you inserted earlier to access the WordPress Dashboard.

Congratulations! Your WordPress site is now up and running!

Step 5: Customize Your Site

Once you’ve installed WordPress, use thousands of themes and plugins free or paid. Here’s how to install a theme or plugin:

1. Open the WordPress Dashboard and navigate to the Appearance or Plugins tab.
2. Hit the “Add New” button after.
3. For installation, you may browse or search for any particular desired theme or plugin. You may select from the featured, popular, or latest options shown on this page.
4. Once you’ve found a theme or plugin, hit the “Install” button.
5. Activate it by hitting the “Activate” button, and your theme or plugin is now ready to use.

Step 6: Preview Your Site

Now that you have made the customization, preview your WordPress site by going to http://localhost/mywebsite/, or wherever you installed WordPress on your local server. You can get hands-on experience with your website and make necessary changes without compromising on the live site.

Conclusion

Running a WordPress site locally can be intimidating, but with these instructions, installing and customizing WordPress is a breeze. Always have your website secure and backed up, and happy website crafting!