Nov 13

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Installing WordPress Locally

This is the first chapter of the Complete WordPress Theme Guide series. In this chapter, you will learn how to install WordPress on a local computer. By doing so, it will save you time from updating and previewing files (so, you don’t have to frequently upload files on every change). You can also use the local version to test new plugins, themes, and upgrades. This tutorial is intended for beginners who want to learn how to run WordPress locally.

Quick Summary

If you have some technical background, you can skip the detailed steps in this tutorial. Here are the simplified steps on how to install WordPress on a local computer:

  1. Install a local server (Mac: MAMP, PC:XAMPP or WAMP).

  2. Create a new database.

  3. Download WordPress from wordpress.org and extract the files to a new folder under the htdocs folder.

  4. Rename the wp-config-sample.php file to wp-config.php and update the database details according to your local server.

  5. Run wp-admin/install.php and follow the instructions to install WordPress.

  6. Done!

Let’s Begin…

Before you start, let’s look at the requirements to run WordPress:

  • PHP 4.3+
  • MySQL 4+ Database Server

1. Install a Local Server

local servers

In order to run any PHP/database application on a local computer, you need a local host (ie. Apache + MySQL). For Mac, use MAMP. For PC, use XAMPP or WAMP.

I’m using Mac here, so I’m going to install MAMP. Go to mamp.info, download and install MAMP.

2. Create a New Database

After you’ve installed MAMP, run it and it should take you to the start page. Now click on phpMyAdmin. In the phpMyAdmin page, create a new database (eg. wordpress).

phpMyAdmin

3. Download WordPress

Go to wordpress.org and download the latest build of WordPress. Go to the htdocs folder (where you installed the MAMP), extract the wordpress.zip to a new folder (eg. mysite).

Extract Wordpress Zip

4. Update wp-config.php File

In the folder, rename the wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php. Open wp-config.php and update the database details (db_name, user, password, host) according to your local server.

Update wp-config.php

5. Run install.php

With your browser, go to http://localhost:8888/mysite/wp-admin/install.php and follow the instructions to install WordPress.

Install WordPress

What’s Next…

In the next chapter, I’m going to show you how to create a custom WordPress theme in designer way (no PHP skill is required).

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Complete WordPress Theme Guide Building Custom WordPress Theme

Comments

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There are 196 comments (+Add)

  • 196 Adam
    August 28th, 2010 at 4:55 pm

    Thanks so much for this guide. I was a bit daunted about all of this and you have really helped. I don’t usually show my gratitude on posts like this, but i felt i needed to on this one…

  • 195 arif wachyudin http://pondokbaca.com
    August 8th, 2010 at 1:07 pm

    nice posting!

    thanx a lot bro…

  • 194 Abida Sultana
    August 8th, 2010 at 2:19 am

    Thanks .

  • 193 Janneke
    August 4th, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    I’m a total noob at this (a) So when I try to install wordpress, it says Error: PHP is not running. I downloaded everything above, I even downloaded php seperately and after that I downloaded the WIX to manually install php, that totally didn’t work :( I do have another program called eclipse. I can open the php files and edit them, but I can’t view them. When I try that there comes a black window and it disappears, seconds after… Can someone help me??

  • 192 Chandra or Ibukerte http://timikaunique.blogspot.com
    August 2nd, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    @ ALEX..thanks you give me a solution since I am using wamp server. The wordpress already installed on my PC. Hug from Timika, Papua, Indonesia.

  • 191 Akash http://www.tatvaa.com
    August 2nd, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    Brother, you’re awesome! I mean knowing something is one and actually taking out time to help others is a mere demonstration of passion. Thanks a ton!

  • 190 Eki
    July 31st, 2010 at 4:57 am

    When I go to
    http://localhost:8888/mysite/wp-admin/install.php
    I get
    Not Found

    The requested URL /mysite/wp-admin/install.php was not found on this server.

    Apache/2.0.63 (Unix) PHP/5.3.2 DAV/2 Server at localhost Port 8888

    Any ideas what I am doing wrong. Much appreciate a response

  • 189 Irwin Ramón
    July 29th, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    Thanks so much. Steps were nicely presented and easy to understand to a beginner like me. I am trying to create an e-commerce site and even though I read that drupal is the best way to go. I will try to do it with wordpress because I read is possible. I saw a template that I really liked that was supposed to be used with drupal, but I was not able to handle it. I was able to install drupal on a local server, but I was not able to do anything with the template that I chose. I know drupal is a more powerful CMS, but for someone like me it doesn’t add to anything if I can’t understand how it works. I hope that Wordpress is as easy as I read. Again, thank you for the tutorial it was clear and useful enough for beginners like me.

  • 188 Conny http://www.swisswebwork.com
    June 15th, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    Never ever came to my mind LOL to do it localy tzzz, now i can work even when im without net
    10 thumbs up

  • 187 arvee marie http://www.flutterhappy.com
    June 6th, 2010 at 11:39 am

    i used xampp and it was great. i used it before making my site go live. ♥

Pages: 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 … 1 » Show All

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