WordPress is the most widely used website builder in the world today. The platform allows anyone to create a blog, business site, portfolio, news site, or eCommerce site, without needing complex coding skills to build a site. It is widely used as it has a range of flexibility, is easy to use for beginners and has a very large number of templates and plugins to speed up web development and make it easier for people to create a site.
There are two ways to set up your WordPress site; by using local hosting or using server hosting.Local hosting is when you install WordPress on your local machine using programs such as XAMPP, WAMP, Laragon, and Local, created by Flywheel, for example. The advantage of local hosting is that your site is only accessible to you, so this is a good choice if you want to test out WordPress before going live with your site.
Server hosting is where your site is stored on an online server connected to the internet. This means that anyone in the world can access it, and the server will be managed via services such as cPanel, FTP, or cloud dashboards.
In simple terms:
1) Local hosting = practice & development environment
2) Server hosting = live, real-world website for visitors
Setting Up WordPress Locally – Best for Beginners
If you are new to WordPress, setting it up locally is the best way to start. You can experiment, break things, learn freely, and build confidence — without spending money on hosting or domain names. A local setup lets you understand how WordPress works internally before moving to a professional live server.
Here’s how to set up WordPress locally, step by step:
Step 1 — Download a Local Server Tool
Choose one of the following tools:
✔ XAMPP (Windows/Mac)
✔ WAMP (Windows)
✔ Laragon
✔ Local by Flywheel
Download and install one of them.
Step 2 — Create a Database
- Open your local server dashboard (XAMPP/WAMP).
- Click phpMyAdmin.
- Create a new database — give it a name (example: wordpress_db).
Step 3 — Download WordPress
- Go to WordPress.org
- Download the latest WordPress ZIP file
- Extract it
Step 4 — Move WordPress Folder
Place the extracted WordPress folder inside:
📁 htdocs (for XAMPP)
📁 www (for WAMP)
Rename the folder if you like — example: myblog
Step 5 — Run WordPress Installer
- Open a browser
- Visit:
http://localhost/myblog - Select language
- Enter database name, username “root”, and leave password blank (default)
- Continue installation
Once completed — WordPress is ready!
Step 6 — Login & Build
Visit: http://localhost/myblog/wp-admin
Login with your credentials
You can now:
✔ install themes
✔ add pages
✔ test plugins
✔ build layouts
This local setup is ideal for beginners because it allows unlimited trial and error without any risk or cost.
Setting up WordPress locally is the smartest starting point for beginners. It gives you a safe space to explore layouts, plugins, themes, and development skills — before launching a real project. Once you understand the basics, the next step is hosting your website online so the world can access it.
👉 In our next post, we will explain how to set up WordPress on a server, access hosting tools, configure domains, and work inside cPanel to launch your live website 🚀
Stay tuned!
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