

InstantWP is good for smaller websites and handy when meeting clients and demoing a WordPress website because it can be run quickly. Instant WP: Build & Test WordPress Sites Offline When I started using WordPress a few years ago the localhost I used exclusively was InstantWP because it is free, requires no installation and is “portable”, meaning you can copy it to USB flash drives and run the software directly off the drive. Or you might not want to use any type of CMS at all. Of course, you can install whatever content management system you like, whether it be Drupal, Joomla or Magento. WAMP has become my preferred localhost software because it can handle multiple installations of WordPress. There’s so much you can do and it costs nothing. Share a project with a team of developers. WAMP acts kind of like a shipyard and a pit stop.īuild out your site and launch when ready. Clone a copy of your live site and examine it. WordPress websites are particularly vulnerable to attack on a remote server – more so when you’re rebuilding or repairing parts of it live. If you don’t like nasty surprises, use a localhost.ĭeveloping your site in a safe environment means there can be no inconveniences.

The larger the website, the more there is to lose. In my opinion, it is dangerous to do major maintenance tasks on a live website. I use WAMP personally and professionally for my WordPress websites because it allows me to experiment with code, design, plugins and frameworks all within the safety of what you could compare to a sandbox. It is ideal for learning, testing and developing websites without having to use a remote web server. WAMP, also known as WAMPserver is a free localhost server stack comprising Apache, MySQL and PHP for Windows.
