One-click install, mail debug, wp-cli and environment switching.
These functions will make your work easier either you are developing Wordpress plugins or themes.
LocalWP By Flywheel now known as LocalWP.
LocalWP has a free plan we can use, the paid version adds the ability to sync with the flywheel hosting services and WPEngine.
There are some easy to manage local web server application like ServerPress, WAMP Server, XAMPP, and Vagrant.
Although this application is optimized for project in team, I personally prefer using LocalWP for exploring, testing, developing the plugins and themes. It's perfectly matched with my needs.
LocalWP developed with Electron technology. Previously in the old version had a lack of its performance, this time LocalWP is no longer uses virtual boxes in its application architecture in order to manage the Wordpress installations.
This core architecture migration is now much faster. It took around 5 minutes to install Wordpress locally with relatively small download sizes.
There are several options you can do when you build and deploy your Wordpress website.
You can either:
Direct change on live site, make staging state of the site or set up the development environment locally.
You must have own preferred method for this process.
For people who are still unfamiliar with Wordpress local development, they may have questions about when we should use the Local development environment.
In some conditions, developing the site locally will give a certain benefit.
Like:
- If you have a slow connection of the internet or you are on traveling but have projects that must be done.
- Some security and server performance reasons, the local environment is the best choice I think.
- The other benefit that I always like is when we want to test themes and plugins before I decide to use them.
Installing LocalWP for local development
Let's get started by How to install LocalWP application.
You can head over to the Local WP official website, then download the installer.
Choose your OS and you will need to fill some details of your info.
Go to setup the installer and follow the instruction.
Once the installation finished, launch the application to see the dashboard and we can start install Wordpress using LocalWP.
Create New Site
Create Wordpress site using localWP as easy as clicking buttons.
There is an obvious button "Create New Site" if you don't have a current Wordpress installation on the list, you can just click this button or click on the bottom left corner button with the sign "+".
Those buttons will open the installation steps.
Fill the Site name in the field, if you expand "Advanced option" from the bottom of the site's name field, you will have an additional configuration.
On this option you can:
Change the local site domain name, change the installation path folder, and choose blueprint if you have the ready-made installation.
Click Continue to proceed. You can also change the site name and domain name later.
Environment Setup
You will have two server options in the environment setting.
Choose "Preferred" if you want to use the default setting of the Local.
Or choose "Custom" so you can choose for the :
- PHP Version: you can choose from the list, including the latest version.
- Database: You can choose between MySQL version or MariaDB
Click Continue to proceed to the last installation steps.
Wordpress Setup
This last installation step is to set up the Wordpress admin user by fill the "username" and "password" field.
If you need to make the Wordpress multisite you can just expand the "Advanced Option" the select "yes" for the multisite questions field.
Click "Add Site" to proceed with the installations.
LocalWP will ask your permission, select "yes" if your OS needs permission to add the new host in the system.
Once the installation completed, you will see the site on the local sites list.
Try this Elementor page builder alternative
Open Database
To open the database, you can select the "Database" tab form the selected site. Then select "Open Adminer" form the list.
Although the UI of this database management is different from PhpMyAdmin, in general, Adminer does the job as well as PhpMyAdmin.
Make a trust SSL
There are some development cases that need SSL running in a local environment. Here in LocalWP application provides an SSL feature with just one-click.
To enable the SSL, open the SSL tab then with just one-click on the "Trust".
To make sure SSL is working, you can access the site with "https://" on the address bar from the browser, you should see the padlock.
Accessing The Email
Sending and testing emails is very easy, LocalWP is using Mailhog modules to log all the mails for debugging. You don't need an extra mail server to test the mail functionality.
To view the email logs, you can go to the "Utilities" tab, then select "Open Mailhog". You can see email logs.
Accessible URL with Live Link Pro
One of the interesting features for Pro user is the live Link Pro that can make the local installation accessed on worldweb public powered by Ngrok. By enabling the "Live Site" button, the LocalWP will generate a URL link that you can share with other devices.
This useful link can be used for a preview in a collaboration project with the clients or colleagues.
Now the links will assigned unique that makes the URL remain consistent across sessions.
Blueprint as a Template
Create and configure Wordpress in multiple times can be tiresome, but with the blueprint feature, you can save your standard setup including themes and plugin you will always use as a template.
Set your common stack of themes and plugins on the specific installed Wordpress, right-click on the site name, choose "Save as Blueprint".
Now, you can reuse the site for your next installation.
Keep in mind that a blueprint is a snapshot, this means the version of your themes and plugin is in a specific state.
You will need to update and resave the installation as a Blueprint.
Summing Up
Now you can create easy Wordpress installation on the local computer. You can easily develop, experiment or testing for projects.
Although all the features provided by LocalWP is tailored for Wordpress site in local development, I think it is not recommended to develop such tight requirement projects for the professional teams.
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