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WordPress Local WordPress Development Local WordPress Development Installing WordPress Locally

Thomas Lynch
Thomas Lynch
431 Points

Need help with loading Wordpress.org and initializing XAMP

I downloaded XAMPP and I clicked on start on fillezila mercury syqol and it was really unclear from the menu that another window is just supposed to pop up. I says go to broswer like local/xampp/splash.php will some how just appear magically. There was really no button to apply or OK the small box that appeared at the top for like those three program that you should want like filezlla and the two other. so I tried typing in that address and of course nothing came up. I thought that downloading XAMPP would be the magic bullet for loading WordPress locally. I have tried to load it two or three time and all I get is a file in my download file that I am not able to initialize?

5 Answers

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

I'm not sure how much I'm helping, but let's clear a few things.

Wordpress.org and Wordpress.com are different things, by the same people. Wordpress.com is a giant public wordpress network. For some things it's free to use, other things cost money on Wordpress.com that you could do for free with wordpress.org. Also, you're limited on things you can do one wordpress.com like installing certain plugins.

Wordpress.org is just where you download the core wordpress files, and than you are responsible to host those files yourself somewhere online. This is where a hosting account and cPanel or another server interface comes into play. You can pretty much do whatever you want with the Wordpress.org version, as far as themes, plugins, etc.

First decide if you want to go with the Wordpress.com version or the wordpress.org version. If you go with the .com version you do not need XAMPP or Filezilla. If you go with the Wordpress.org version, you'll need XAMPP, but you shouldn't need Filezilla at the moment.

Filezilla will be used later to move your Wordpress files from your local computer, to a web server so they can be accessed pubically at your domain. In the meantime, that's why you've installed XAMPP, which is just a package software that installed Apache and MySQL. Apache will execute the PHP code, and MySQL will execute the database queries, both necessary to have a functional Wordpress site.

XAMPP should have installed itself in your hard drive. You can find it by going to Computer >> (C:) Drive. From there you should have a xampp folder, inside of there you should have a htdocs folder. Inside of this folder is where you want to install your wordpress.

I would recommend making a subfolder in here to keep it clean. Call it what you want, like the project name. Let's pretend the project name is just wordpress. Paste all of your wordpress.org downloaded files here.

You need to create the database, so back in Xampp, with MySQL running, click the admin button, which should open myPHPAdmin. In myPHPAdmin, create a new database, and for cleanliness, I give this database a user and password too, Which can be done after creating the database using the Privileges tab in the top menu area.

After that's done, go back to your wordpress core, open wp-config-sample.php and resave it as wp-config.php. And finally in a text editor, give it your database name, username, and password. Most of the other settings here you can leave as default.

Finally, make sure Apache is running in your Xampp dashboard, and in a browser's URL box, type `localhost/wordpress and that should initial the wordpress script to finish installing the database. If your folder's name was different, than that would change the URL. It's always localhost/whatever-folder-you-want-to-us-here as a structure.

Hope that helps.

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

Does it show that MySQL and Apache are running when you click on Start for them?

What's your operating system?

Christina Giannouli
Christina Giannouli
18,202 Points

Hello Thomas,

First of all you need to have both MySQL AND Apache running. You won't need filezilla to work locally.

I am not sure I understand what is the problem. I suppose you have successfully installed XAMPP on your PC (I guess you run Windows) but you don't know how to install WordPress?

Is that correct?

Thomas Lynch
Thomas Lynch
431 Points

Yeah I can't get WordPress to install. I actually got beyond this point. I didn't see the instructor on the video press the explorer button to take you to the next page. It's good to know all you need and the tops two MySQL and Apache...that's helpful to me. Filezilla doesn’t' look and thing look it does in the tutorial and WordPress.org I am unable to initialize. I ran into a host of problem once I figure out how to get passed this page and I am listing another request for comments the is more through. If you would like to blog on this tread or respond to the more through question....that's cool I appreciate the help...many thanks operatign system Windows 7

Thomas Lynch
Thomas Lynch
431 Points

I have gotten to the point of installing xampp and fillza which both seem to download ok. Filzilla wanted me to give a passcode to connect to server or check a box that say connect to server every time...so I just typed in an easy password. I also created the test file and the notepad test file and then click on the explorer button. The filezilla page doesn’t' even closely resemble what is represented on the tutorial. Of course I am looking at the top for where to link Cpanel (which is already up and running as well was the non-local Wordpress. So there is a bunch of stuff miss from filzlla when I open it. I have tried to download WrodPress.org probably four times and just get an unintializing file in my download folder. I have been messing with this for a week. I was also wanting the mimic this free video on YouTube called WordPress with no steps skipped (I thought that would be a go supplemental practice) And there is no search area to just pull up the templet he was using call "responsive" So I got an account at WordPress.com. The first thing you want to adjust like color or font they want to sell you a @399 annual premium annual pass. I'm just a beginner. I'm kind of putzing around on the WordPress on the server in cpanel right now and have added servale pages and picture on each page still trying to get the widgets going and some other things. So I can mess around with that. From what i have read it is pretty advantageous to get WordPress.org going. So as to not spend a ton of money on templets while you are learning? Still quite happy with tutorials. Some crazy stuff with fillezilla tried to hijack my home internet explorer call (Voteron or some bullsxxt???) I just uninstalled it and reset my home google page

Thomas Lynch
Thomas Lynch
431 Points

That's one heck of an answer. With useful information for sure. If I can't get this going on my own I got a friend that is going to help me soon and come over. we will refer to your answer. Ge4t me closer to getting things up and running. Got to be patient. Once you get a taste of this you want to do it all. The idea of using wordPress.org on my own computer appeals to me, so thanks again!

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

No Problem Thomas. Good luck, a friend to walk you through can be very helpful. I really struggled to set up Wordpress the first time myself. After you do it a couple times it'll be a piece of cake for you.