If you want to learn WordPress, design a website, test themes and plugins, or build a site before publishing it online, you don’t necessarily need web hosting or a domain name.

You can install WordPress locally on your computer and build your website in a private development environment. This lets you work without purchasing a domain name or hosting plan.

In this guide, I’ll show you four ways to set up WordPress locally:

1. LocalWP
2. XAMPP
3. WordPress Studio
4. DevKinsta

Each method has different advantages, so you can choose the one that best matches your experience and workflow.

What Is a Local WordPress Website?

A local WordPress website runs on your own computer instead of a live web server.

Your computer acts as the web server, database server, and development environment. You can access the website through a local address such as:

http://localhost/

or a custom local domain provided by your development tool.

A local WordPress installation is useful for:

• Learning WordPress
• Designing websites
• Testing themes and plugins
• Developing custom themes
• Developing WordPress plugins
• Testing WordPress updates
• Building a website before launching it
• Experimenting without affecting a live website

The main advantage is that you can work on your website without making it publicly accessible.

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1. Set Up WordPress with LocalWP

LocalWP is a desktop application designed specifically for local WordPress development.

It simplifies many tasks that would otherwise require manual server configuration. LocalWP can automatically install WordPress and provides tools for managing PHP, databases, SSL, local domains, and other development features.

How to Install WordPress with LocalWP

The basic process is:

1. Download and install Local.
2. Open Local and click Create a New Site.
3. Enter your website name.
4. Choose the preferred environment or customize the PHP and server settings.
5. Create your WordPress username and password.
6. Click to create the site.
7. Open the local WordPress dashboard.

LocalWP is available for Windows, macOS, and supported Linux distributions.

Why Use LocalWP?

LocalWP is particularly convenient for beginners because you don’t have to manually configure Apache, PHP, and a database.

It also includes useful features such as one-click WordPress administration, SSL, WP-CLI, site cloning, import/export, and tools for moving sites between local and hosting environments.

Read the detailed guide:
[How to Build a WordPress Website for Free on Your Computer with LocalWP]

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2. Set Up WordPress with XAMPP

XAMPP takes a more traditional approach.

XAMPP is a local development package that provides components such as Apache, MariaDB, PHP, and Perl. It is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Unlike LocalWP, XAMPP doesn’t automatically create a complete WordPress installation. You need to configure the local server and database yourself.

How to Install WordPress with XAMPP

The typical process is:

1. Download and install XAMPP.
2. Start Apache and MySQL/MariaDB from the XAMPP Control Panel.
3. Download WordPress.
4. Extract WordPress into the XAMPP htdocs directory.
5. Open phpMyAdmin.
6. Create a database for WordPress.
7. Open the WordPress installation page in your browser.
8. Enter your database information.
9. Complete the WordPress installation.
10. Log in to your local WordPress dashboard.

Why Use XAMPP?

XAMPP is useful if you want to understand how a traditional PHP-based web server works.

It also gives you greater control over the underlying development environment, making it a useful option for users who want to learn more about Apache, PHP, databases, and localhost development.

Read the detailed guide:
[How to Build a WordPress Website on Your PC Using XAMPP]

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3. Set Up WordPress with WordPress Studio

WordPress Studio is a free desktop application developed by the WordPress.com team for local WordPress development. It is designed to let you create WordPress sites locally with minimal configuration.

How to Install WordPress with Studio

The basic process is:

1. Download WordPress Studio.
2. Install the application.
3. Open Studio.
4. Create a new WordPress site.
5. Enter the site name and other settings.
6. Wait for Studio to create the site.
7. Open the local WordPress dashboard.

Studio also supports features such as SSL, custom local domains, Blueprints, database tools, debugging, and importing existing WordPress sites.

Why Use WordPress Studio?

Studio is a good choice if you want a modern WordPress-focused development environment without manually configuring a traditional server stack.

It is also useful when you want to move between local development and WordPress.com or Pressable. Studio supports importing, exporting, syncing, and preview workflows.

Read the detailed guide:
[No hosting and domain,How to Build a WordPress Website for Free on Your Computer with Studio]

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4. Set Up WordPress with DevKinsta

DevKinsta is another free local WordPress development environment.

DevKinsta uses Docker and provides a WordPress stack that includes technologies such as Nginx, PHP, and MySQL/MariaDB. It also includes tools for database management, email testing, and debugging.

How to Install WordPress with DevKinsta

The basic process is:

1. Download and install DevKinsta.
2. Install Docker if required.
3. Open DevKinsta.
4. Select New WordPress Site.
5. Enter your site name and WordPress administrator details.
6. Configure the available options.
7. Click Create Site.
8. Wait for DevKinsta to create your local WordPress installation.
9. Open your new website and WordPress dashboard.

DevKinsta can also create sites from backups and import WordPress sites from Kinsta.

Why Use DevKinsta?

DevKinsta is especially useful for developers who want more advanced local development tools.

It includes a database manager, email inbox, logging, Docker-based environments, and integration with Kinsta hosting.

Read the detailed guide:
[How to Install WordPress Website Locally on Your Computer With DevKinsta: Complete Step-by-Step Guide]

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LocalWP vs. XAMPP vs. Studio vs. DevKinsta

The four methods can all be used to build WordPress websites locally, but their workflows are different.

Feature	LocalWP	XAMPP	Studio	DevKinsta
Beginner friendly	Yes	Moderate	Yes	Yes
WordPress-focused	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Automatic WordPress setup	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Manual server configuration	Minimal	More	Minimal	Minimal
Database tools	Yes	phpMyAdmin	Yes	Yes
Local development	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Site import/export	Yes	Manual	Yes	Yes
Advanced development	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Which Local WordPress Method Should You Use?

The right choice depends on what you want to learn and how you prefer to work.

Choose LocalWP if you want a simple WordPress-specific environment with a beginner-friendly interface.

Choose XAMPP if you want to learn more about traditional local web servers, Apache, PHP, and databases.

Choose WordPress Studio if you want a modern WordPress-focused development application with a simple setup and WordPress.com/Pressable integration.

Choose DevKinsta if you want a WordPress development environment with Docker, database tools, email testing, and Kinsta integration.

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What Can You Do After Installing WordPress Locally?

Once your local WordPress website is running, you can build it just like a normal WordPress website.

For example, you can:

• Install a WordPress theme
• Install plugins
• Create pages and posts
• Customize the homepage
• Configure menus
• Test website layouts
• Optimize images
• Add custom CSS
• Develop themes and plugins
• Test WordPress updates

When the website is finished, you can migrate WordPress website from your local computer to a live hosting server.

This makes local development particularly useful for building a website privately before publishing it online.

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Local WordPress vs. Live WordPress Hosting

The biggest difference is where your website runs.

A local WordPress website runs on your computer and is generally accessible only from your local environment.

A live WordPress website runs on a web hosting server and can be accessed by visitors through your domain name.

A common workflow is:

Build locally → Test locally → Migrate to hosting → Connect domain → Launch

This approach lets you experiment with your website before making changes to a live site.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install WordPress on my computer for free?

Yes. LocalWP, XAMPP, WordPress Studio, and DevKinsta can all be used to create a local WordPress development environment without purchasing web hosting.

Do I need a domain name for local WordPress?

No. A domain name is not required for a local WordPress installation.

Do I need web hosting?

No. Local WordPress runs on your computer, so you don’t need web hosting while developing the site locally.

You will need web hosting when you want to make the website publicly accessible.

Can I move my local WordPress website to a live server?

Yes. A local WordPress website can be migrated to a live hosting server. The exact migration process depends on the local development tool and hosting provider.

Which is easier: LocalWP or XAMPP?

LocalWP provides a more WordPress-specific setup, while XAMPP requires more manual configuration. If your primary goal is simply to build WordPress websites locally, the workflows are different enough that your choice should depend on whether you want convenience or more hands-on server experience.

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Final Thoughts

Building WordPress locally is an excellent way to learn, experiment, and develop websites without immediately paying for hosting.

LocalWP, XAMPP, WordPress Studio, and DevKinsta all provide different approaches to local WordPress development.

If you’re a beginner, start with one method and become familiar with the basic WordPress workflow. Once your site is ready, you can migrate it to a live hosting provider and publish it online.

For more WordPress tutorials, explore the WordPress Tutorial section of Build Web Well for guides covering WordPress setup, themes, plugins, troubleshooting, hosting, and website development.