Installing WordPress locally on your computer is the best idea sometimes. Other than making your site live, you can host it on your computer. When you do so, only you can see what the theme looks or functions. And, it is usually helpful in making a testing environment and for knowing the processes.
WordPress is the overall content management system (CMS) software found on the market today.
So, below are the most accessible guide on how to set up WordPress on a local computer. You will get through the step-by-step process of installing WordPress on a mac using XAMPP.
Steps to Install WordPress Locally
Now below are the simple steps of installing WordPress on a mac using XAMPP on your computer. You should know that these steps are for the local installation of WordPress, specifically on mac.
The levels are related to other operating methods too. Although, there can be a bit of difference in local drive locations.
Step 1: Download and Install XAMPP
What you should do at first of all, XAMPP is an open-source computer program essential to run various kinds of web applications. WordPress hosting needs the XAMPP components Apache with MySQL. They give a web development environment to your WordPress site.
So, XAMPP is a more critical component for making a local server install WordPress on Windows. Although, you can also use WAMP as an alternative to Windows. And also, you can use MAMP if you use a Mac system.
Step 2: Download WordPress, then add it to the local XAMPP Folder
To download the newest version of WordPress, continue to WordPress.org, such as the official website of WordPress. And press on ‘Get WordPress.’
Click on the ‘Download WordPress’ switch. When you do so, the latest version of WordPress will begin downloading as a zipped file.
Then you have to make a new folder inside the htdocs folder then give it a good name, like a test website. It would help if you remembered the folder name used in your local site’s URL. Suc as it has been named in this article as ‘test website.’ So, the local site’s URL will be ‘test website.’ You can also use it later.
When you make and name the folder inside docs, extract the downloaded zipped file inside there. By doing so, you’ll have a new folder called ‘WordPress,’ which is the folder you’ve created.
Step 3: Create a Database for WordPress
The following step is to make a new database for your test WordPress site, which will be for storing your site’s content.
To make a new database, you will first have to go to the phpMyAdmin dashboard. It’s the admin panel that handles your test website’s database.
First, you have to open the XAMPP application from the start menu. When not found, you can go to the directory where it’s located. Like going to Drive C >> xampp. Then, get it and open the file named ‘xampp-control.exe.’
So, you’ll have first to begin Apache and MySQL from the XAMPP control panel. Press on the start button for Apache with MySQL. You’d see a green color highlight for these modules if you started, and then the ‘Start’ button will change to ‘Stop. ‘ After that, you’ll be required to go to the phpMyAdmin page for making the database. For that, you can press the ‘Admin button next to the ‘Start’ button of MySQL.
From there, press on Databases. Then, enter a name for the database. You may keep the name as you need. But, you should ensure that you remember the word, and it’s because you may need it in the next step.
Now, after that, click on the ‘create’ button. Then, your MySQL database will be made and will be ready for use.
Step 4: Install WordPress on XAMPP
Now that you’ve installed XAMPP, stored WordPress software inside the htdocs folder, you can now fix up the database for your analysis WordPress website. And the following step is to set up your WordPress site on XAMPP. You can begin with the setup by going to your location from the browser.
Entering your URL is meant to open your local site. Though since your site isn’t set up yet, it may begin the WordPress installation wizard.
It’ll automatically want you to choose a language if you enter your local site URL. It’s the first method of your WordPress site setup.
After accurately going through all these methods, installing WordPress on a mac on your computer is completed.
Step 5: Log in to WordPress Admin Dashboard
Now for you to access your WordPress backend, you’ll be required to log in to your admin dashboard. It wants the username with the password you’ve used when you are entering the site’s information.
Now, you’ll be directed to the login page when you’ve pressed on ‘Log in’ in the past step.
So, you’ll have to provide your login URL into the web browser’s tab. Though before that, always start Apache and MySQL in the XAMPP control panel. That is essential every time you’ll go to your WordPress admin dashboard.
Enter your username and password when you arrive at the login page, which you’d set earlier. You can sign the ‘Remember Me to have your login credentials auto-filled for the subsequent visits, and lastly, click ‘Login. ‘
What can you log in after Installing WordPress Locally?
After you properly install WordPress, the first thing you should do is change your site’s theme and customize it. You can also go to Appearance > Themes > Add New to choose a new theme. There are a number of these themes there that you can select from, install, customize, and experiment with. Also, you may change the theme again when you’re not happy using the current one.
Conclusion
That is all about this essential theme. Hopefully, now you have understood how to install WordPress for macs using XAMPP. When you are using a Mac, you can also use WordPress locally on your Mac. Precisely like Windows, you will require to set up a stack to run WordPress locally. Also, you can install it using your local computer by use of this stepwise guide.
