Local Development for WordPress (and Why Modern Tools Are Better)

Running WordPress locally lets you develop and test without affecting your live site. This guide covers the best tools and compares them to modern development workflows.

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Why Develop Locally?

Benefits of local development:

• Speed - No upload/download wait

• Safety - Break things without consequences

• Offline work - No internet needed

• Free - No hosting costs during development

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Option 1: Local by Flywheel

Best for: Most WordPress developers

Local (formerly Local by Flywheel) is the most popular WordPress local development tool.

Installation

1. Download from localwp.com

2. Install and launch

3. Click "Create a new site"

4. Follow the wizard

Features

Feature

Included

One-click WordPress

✅

SSL certificates

✅

Database management

✅

PHP version switching

✅

Live Link (share sites)

✅

Multisite support

✅

Free

✅

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Extremely easy setup

• Beautiful interface

• Works on Mac, Windows, Linux

• No command line needed

Cons:

• Uses system resources when running

• Occasionally buggy on updates

• Pull/push requires add-ons

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Option 2: DevKinsta

Best for: Kinsta customers (works with any host)

DevKinsta is Kinsta's free local development tool.

Installation

1. Download from kinsta.com/devkinsta

2. Install Docker Desktop (required)

3. Launch DevKinsta

4. Create new site

Features

Feature

Included

Docker-based

✅

Database manager

✅

Email testing

✅

Push to Kinsta

✅

PHP versions

✅

Free

✅

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Modern Docker architecture

• Email capture for testing

• Integrates with Kinsta hosting

Cons:

• Requires Docker (heavy)

• Kinsta push only (not other hosts)

• Slower startup than Local

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Option 3: MAMP / MAMP PRO

Best for: Traditional LAMP stack developers

MAMP provides Apache, MySQL, and PHP on your computer.

Installation

1. Download from mamp.info

2. Install

3. Start servers

4. Download WordPress manually

5. Configure database manually

Versions

Version

Price

Features

MAMP

Free

Basic Apache/MySQL/PHP

MAMP PRO

$69

Multiple hosts, Nginx, more

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Mature, stable product

• Good for running any PHP app

• More control over configuration

Cons:

• Manual WordPress setup

• No WordPress-specific features

• Dated interface

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Option 4: Docker

Best for: Developers who want full control

Docker containers provide isolated environments for WordPress.

Basic Setup

Create docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'

services:
  wordpress:
    image: wordpress:latest
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db
      WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wordpress
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: wordpress
      WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wordpress
    volumes:
      - ./wp-content:/var/www/html/wp-content

  db:
    image: mysql:8.0
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
      MYSQL_USER: wordpress
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: wordpress
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql

volumes:
  db_data:

Run:

docker-compose up -d

Visit: http://localhost:8080

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Maximum flexibility

• Matches production environment

• Script-able and version-controlled

Cons:

• Steep learning curve

• Docker knowledge required

• More setup time

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Option 5: Laravel Valet (Mac Only)

Best for: Developers who want lightweight, fast setup

Valet uses your Mac's built-in nginx and dnsmasq.

Installation

Install Homebrew packages
brew install php mysql

Install Valet via Composer
composer global require laravel/valet
valet install

Park a directory
cd ~/Sites
valet park

Now any folder in ~/Sites is accessible as folder-name.test.

For WordPress

cd ~/Sites
mkdir my-wp-site
cd my-wp-site

Download WordPress
wp core download

Create database
mysql -u root -e "CREATE DATABASE my_wp_site"

Install WordPress
wp core install --url=my-wp-site.test --title="My Site" \
  --admin_user=admin --admin_email=admin@example.com

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Extremely fast

• Low resource usage

• Works with any PHP project

Cons:

• Mac only

• Requires command line comfort

• Manual WordPress setup

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Comparison Table

Tool

Ease

Speed

Resources

Control

Price

Local

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Medium

⭐⭐⭐

Free

DevKinsta

⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐

Heavy

⭐⭐⭐

Free

MAMP

⭐⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Light

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free/$69

Docker

⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐

Medium

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free

Valet

⭐⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Light

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free

Winner for most people: Local by Flywheel

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The Modern Alternative

Now compare WordPress local development to modern frameworks.

Next.js / Astro Local Development

Create project
npx create-next-app@latest my-site

Start development server
npm run dev

That's it. Visit http://localhost:3000.

No database. No PHP. No Apache. No MySQL.

What You Get

Feature

WordPress

Next.js/Astro

Setup time

10-30 minutes

2 minutes

Dependencies

PHP, MySQL, web server

Node.js

Hot reload

Plugin needed

Built-in

Version control

Tricky

Native

Environment matching

Complex

Identical

Hot Module Replacement

Modern frameworks update the browser instantly when you save:

// Edit this file
export default function Header() {
  return 
Hello World
;

}

// Save → Browser updates in <100ms

WordPress requires full page refresh, even with plugins.

Local-Production Parity

WordPress local vs production differences:

• Different PHP versions

• Different MySQL versions

• Different server configurations

• Different file permissions

Modern frameworks:

• Same Node.js everywhere

• Same build process

• Same deployment artifacts

• Preview deployments match production exactly

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Common WordPress Local Development Issues

Issue: Database Connection Error

Error establishing a database connection

Fixes:

• Check MySQL is running

• Verify credentials in wp-config.php

• Check database exists

Issue: White Screen of Death

Fixes:

• Enable WP_DEBUG

• Check error logs

• Increase memory limit

• Disable plugins via database

Issue: Permalinks Not Working

Fix: Enable mod_rewrite or update .htaccess

Issue: Email Not Sending

Fix: Use MailHog or similar for local email capture

Issue: SSL Certificate Errors

Fix: Trust the local SSL certificate or use HTTP for local

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Migrating Local to Production

WordPress Migration Steps

1. Export database

2. Replace URLs in database

3. Upload files via FTP/SFTP

4. Import database to production

5. Update wp-config.php

6. Test everything

Time: 30 minutes to hours depending on site size.

Modern Framework Deployment

git push origin main
Vercel/Netlify automatically deploys

Time: Under 1 minute.

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Recommendation

If You Must Use WordPress

Use Local by Flywheel:

• Easiest setup

• Good feature set

• Free

• Cross-platform

If You're Starting Fresh

Consider modern frameworks:

• Simpler development workflow

• Better version control

• Easier deployment

• Fewer moving parts

The time saved in development workflow alone often justifies the switch.

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FAQ

Q: Can I run multiple WordPress sites locally?

Yes, all tools support multiple sites. Local and DevKinsta make it especially easy.

Q: How do I sync local with production?

Use plugins like WP Migrate DB Pro, or hosting-specific tools (Kinsta, WP Engine). Compare hosting options →

Q: Do I need local development for small changes?

No, but you should. Small changes break sites constantly. Always test locally first.

Q: Can I use VS Code with WordPress?

Yes, all local development tools work with any editor. Consider PHP extensions for IntelliSense.

Q: What about version control with WordPress?

WordPress makes Git difficult because of the database. Learn Git basics →

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Conclusion

WordPress local development is essential but complex:

Tool

Best For

Local

Most developers

DevKinsta

Kinsta users

Docker

Full control needs

MAMP	Traditional PHP developers

Valet

Mac power users

Modern frameworks offer simpler development with npm run dev and automatic deployments. The developer experience improvement is significant.

Related guides:

• JAMstack Explained for WordPress Users

• Next.js App Router for WordPress Developers

• Deploy to Vercel Guide

Explore the modern alternative →