Installing WordPress on a localhost server isn’t that a big task so far you can set up your localhost server well. Now let’s assume you’ve downloaded a copy of XAMPP or WAMP or MAMP and you’ve set it up and its working, there shouldn’t be a problem setting up WordPress on any of these servers. In case you might ask why you need a server to set up WordPress, well its because WordPress is written in PHP scripting language and uses the MySQL database to store data. PHP language doesn’t compile without the server as if you click on a .PHP file will simply show you some codes. But unless you input it via the server, the code won’t get compiled hence the need for a server.
The localhost server is an attempt to create a WordPress website offline without having to waste your data creating one on the internet. If for example you want to create a website that is quite complex and you want to keep monitor of it, you can use the localhost server to develop. Or if you are just experimenting with the system, this is your chance to understand how WordPress really works. So it all depends on your choice and taste but me personally, I usually develop for clients offline before migrating it online. So let’s get starter then.
Get a copy of WordPress
WordPress is a free and open source software which you can obtain free of charge at WordPress.Org. Download the latest copy of the software and save it on your computer. The file is just 7MB. After downloading, unzip the file and then move the decompressed folder to your HTDOCS folder of your XAMPP or Public_HTML of your WAMP server.
To locate this in your XAMPP folder depends solely on where you install XAMPP. Like me, I usually install it straight in my widows computer root file manager located at the C://. So if yours is located in that same place, then you just trail it like
C://XAMPP/htdocs/
Then drop your WordPress files folder in the HTDOCs folder.
In WAMP server
Now let’s assume you already set up your wamp server straight up in your computer hard drive, the location should be C://WAMP/WWW folder. that’s where all server side files should reside.
Now after that is done, the next thing to do is start your server. In XAMPP, you can start that by going into the control panel and starting the Apache server and the MySQL database server too. The same goes with WAMP. So to be sure the server is turned on, in XAMPP, it shows green connection which means the connection was successful and in case that’s cool with your other server WAMP, it shows green too. Now, navigate to your browser of choice and then type Localhost in the URL address bar. It all depends on which port you use to locate your localhost server. For example, if the original port 80 is taken and you need to use another port to turn on Apache, you just enter that port you used behind the Localhost URL. So for that example, it should be something like this http://localhost:81. That opens the localhost layout for you and then you are on.
Locate the PHPMyAdmin
As I’ve said earlier on, WordPress is a server side system that uses PHP to communicate with MySQL database. PHPMyAdmin is a place where you actually set up your database information and actually edit and create one yourself. So to do so, simply click on the PHPMYADMIN and then it opens a new tan for you..
The next thing is to create a database and then create a user in the database along with password. When you are through, then navigate through a new tab to your WordPress install. That means, “Localhost/WordPress.” Depending on where you upload WordPress, if for example, WordPress main files are still in another folder within the default WordPress folder, then you will need to add tat trailing slash to the URL address bar. For example, Localhost/WordPress/subfolder_name.
So if all are rightly set up, then you should see a welcome message from WordPress asking you to start the installation processes. Its fast and easier. You can then start creating your website using details you’ve created earlier on from PHPMyAdmin.