Installing WordPress on localhost, also known as a local server, allows you to set up and test your website locally before going live. This is a common practice for developers and designers. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to install WordPress on localhost:
Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your computer:
Visit the official WordPress website (https://wordpress.org/) and download the latest version of WordPress. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a location on your computer.
Open your local server control panel and create a new database for your WordPress installation. Take note of the database name, username, and password as you'll need them during the installation process.
In the WordPress files you extracted, find the wp-config-sample.php file. Duplicate it and rename the copy to wp-config.php. Open this file in a text editor and fill in the database details you created in Step 2:
define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name'); define('DB_USER', 'your_database_user'); define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_database_password'); define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
Save the changes.
Move the entire WordPress folder (the one you extracted) to the root directory of your local server. The location might be something like htdocs for XAMPP or www for WampServer.
Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost/your-wordpress-folder. This will start the WordPress installation process.
After the installation is complete, you will see a success message. You can then log in using the provided credentials and start building your website locally.
Now you have a fully functional WordPress installation on your localhost. You can access the WordPress admin dashboard at http://localhost/your-wordpress-folder/wp-admin. Remember that this is only accessible from your local machine. If you want to make your site live, you'll need to transfer it to a web server.