Unraveling the Mystery of Running a WordPress Theme on Localhost XAMPP

Have you ever been mystified about how to create a website or blog using WordPress? Fear not, for we are here to help you demystify the process of designing it with ease. WordPress is one of the most popular platforms used for creating websites and blogs, thanks to its user-friendly interface and a wide array of features. However, before launching a website or blog, it is essential to develop and design it on a local server to avoid facing any issues later.

The Marvels of XAMPP

XAMPP is an open-source cross-platform software stack that comes with Apache webserver, MYSQL database, and PHP. What’s more, it is remarkably easy to install XAMPP on your local machine to create a server environment to develop WordPress themes and test them before uploading them to the live server.

Get Started with Our Easy-to-Follow Guide

• Download XAMPP

  First of all, download XAMPP for your operating system. You can download it from the official Apache Friends website. XAMPP is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. After downloading the setup, run the installer on your computer.

• Install XAMPP

  After running the installer, you will see a window with many components. Choose the components that you want to install. For WordPress theme creation, make sure that you have Apache, MySQL, and PHP. You can also select other components as per your requirements.

• Start Apache and MySQL

  Once XAMPP is installed, open the XAMPP control panel and start Apache and MySQL. Both services must run at the same time to work with WordPress. If both are running, their status should show “Running”.

• Download and Install WordPress

  Now, download the latest version of WordPress from the official WordPress website. Extract the downloaded file and move the WordPress folder to the htdocs folder on your local machine. The location of the htdocs folder varies based on the operating system you are using. For Windows, it is located inside the XAMPP folder, which is typically in the C drive, while for macOS, it is located in the Applications folder.

  Rename the WordPress folder to your preferred name. For instance, if you name the folder ‘my-site’, the URL for the site will be http://localhost/my-site

• Create a Database

  Creating a database is the next step in creating a WordPress site on a local server. Open your browser and enter http://localhost/phpmyadmin/ in the address bar to access the phpMyAdmin page. Click on the “Databases” tab, enter a database name, and click “Create”. You have now created a new database.

• Edit the Configuration File

  Before you can get started with WordPress’ installation, you need to edit the configuration file. Navigate to the WordPress folder you renamed in step 4, and locate the “wp-config-sample.php” file. Rename it to “wp-config.php”.

  Now, open the “wp-config.php” file and update the database details you created in step 5 – your database name, username, and password. Save the file.

• Run the WordPress Installation

  The final step to run WordPress theme on localhost XAMPP is to install WordPress. In your web browser, go to the URL that corresponds to the folder you created in step 4 (http://localhost/my-site). Once you have reached the site, click on the “Create a Configuration File” button. Fill in the necessary details and click on Submit. Then, click on Install. If everything is okay, you will see a message that says, “WordPress has installed successfully.”

  Now you can log in to your WordPress dashboard using the username and password you set during installation. You can select and activate your preferred WordPress theme to get started with the design process.

Concluding Thoughts

Running a WordPress theme on localhost XAMPP is an essential part of developing and designing a website or blog. It provides a good opportunity to test features, check responsiveness, and fix any detected issues before moving to the live site. The above step-by-step guide helps you set up WordPress on your local server quickly and easily. With this guide, you can develop a robust WordPress theme without worrying about the risk of errors or compatibility issues.