If you want to create a local web server on your Windows PC, XAMPP is a great solution. It bundles together Apache, MySQL, PHP, and more—getting you set up for web development without any complicated setup.
Steps to install XAMPP:
- Go to the Apache Friends website and download the XAMPP installer for Windows.
- Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions. It’s fine to leave the default settings.
- Let the installation finish, then open the XAMPP Control Panel.
- Start Apache and MySQL by clicking their “Start” buttons.
- To check that everything works, type
http://localhostin your web browser.
Now you have a local server environment ready for your web projects!
Setting Up WordPress on Your XAMPP Localhost
With XAMPP running, it’s easy to get WordPress working on your machine. This is great for testing websites before publishing them online.
How to install WordPress locally:
- Download WordPress from the official website and unzip it.
- Move the “wordpress” folder into the
C:\xampp\htdocsdirectory (you can rename the folder if you wish). - Go to
http://localhost/phpmyadminin your browser to make a new database (just give it a name and click “Create”). - Visit
http://localhost/wordpress(or your folder name) in your browser to begin the WordPress setup. - Enter your database name, set a username (just use “root”), and leave the password blank for local use.
Follow the prompts, and you’ll have a local WordPress site up and running—ready for experiments, learning, or building your next big idea!