When you want to design or develop a dynamic WordPress website offline where no one but you can see it, then the FREE version of MAMP is the way to go.
What is MAMP ?
MAMP stands for Macintosh, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. MAMP is an application you can install on your Mac that gives you all of the tools needed to run WordPress on your local machine, making it much easier for development and testing websites before making them live.
Step 1: Download and Install MAMP on your Mac (Windows version still in development).
Visit the MAMP website to download the FREE version of MAMP. Install it just as you would any other Mac Application.
Step 2: Basic MAMP Settings
Now that you’ve got MAMP installed on your computer, launch MAMP application. While you’re editing settings, MAMP might prompt you for an administrator password. Once you open MAMP, follow these steps:
- Click the PREFERENCES button and then “Ports” (along the top). For ease of use, leave the default ports of 8888 for Apache, and 8889 for MySQL. Your local URL will then be localhost:8888.
- On the PHP tab, verify that version 5 is selected.
- On the APACHE tab, set a document root. This is where all of your files are going to be for your local web server. An example of a document root is /Users/USERNAME/Sites/ (the default location for this is /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/).
Once you’re done editing all of the settings, hit OK to save them.
Step 3: Starting MAMP Servers
To start the MAMP Apache and MySQL servers, simply click “Start Servers” from the MAMP start-up screen. Your MAMP servers have now been started! Once the MAMP servers start, the MAMP start page should open in your default web browser. (If it did not open. just click on “Open start page” in the MAMP window.)
Step 4: Creating The Database
From the MAMP start page is open in your browser, click the phpMyAdmin link from the MySQL section.
In the center, enter in a database name such as “db_mysite”, leave the default of “collation” and press “create”. (If this is not your first database, click on the word “NEW” in the left column to bring up the “create new database” line.)
Step 5: Downloading WordPress
Download and install the latest version of WordPress. Unzip the file you just downloaded, which will create the folder named “wordpress” (you can rename this to whatever you want – I use the name of my current site – let’s call it “mysite”). Drag this folder into the MAMP document root from Step 2 above – /Users/USERNAME/Sites/ (or the default location for this is /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/ if you used the default location).
Step 6: Installing WordPress
In your web browser, go to localhost:8888/mysite. You may get a screen that says “There doesn’t seem to be a wp-config.php
file. I need this before we can get started.” THAT’S OK! Just click “Create a configuration file” and then click “Let’s Go” from the next screen. Enter the following information for the database:
Database Name: db_mysite (the database name from Step 3 above)
User Name (database): root
Password (database): root
Database Host/server: localhost
Table Prefix: wp_
Once this is entered and you continue, you’ll receive a message that says “All right, sparky! You’ve made it through this part of the installation. WordPress can now communicate with your database. If you are ready, time now to…”.
Click to “Run the Install” to continue onto WordPress’ famous 5-minute install. Complete by entering a blog name and email address, and you’re ready to use WordPress on your Mac!
Hello: My website address is the website I am replacing with WordPress. I am using MAMP off line on my iMac. My question is – how do I go about backing up my new WP website while I am building it offline? I tried using a plug in but it is for Windows and will not allow me to create the file needed to back up. Any ideas? Thank-you. – Kathy
Are you asking how to backup your off-line version of your website? or how to back up a copy from your live server?
Hello. I downloaded WordPress through MAAP. Am I able to design and develop a website this way? How do I even access it? I have been accessing through my bookmark. Thanks. Jody
Sorry that I missed this. Did you work things out or did you still need assistance?
I am using mamp locally to learn how to use this. I can’t figure out how to add any images or other content. There is something that says to edit or delete to start blogging, but I have no idea about how to edit or delete
I figured it out
Question: When you’re done working on your site, what’s the best way to upload it to your hosted account to make it live on the web? Via an FTP client?
Yes, you can FTP the theme folder or compress (.zip) the theme folder and upload as a new file from within WordPress. This doesn’t move your uploads or database – only the theme files.
How do you upload the database and uploads folder?
You can use the same method as described here: https://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress
How do you upload the database and uploads folder?
I use FTP to upload the entire site (including uploads folder). I download the database, and import in phpMyAdmin. If the database name isn’t the same as you have in the wp-config.php file, be sure to edit the wp-config.php to match the DB name, username, and password once uploaded.
I was able to install wordpress, but when I go to install my purchased theme, I get an error code saying my link has expired. When I search that error code on their site it tells me I might not have enough space on my server? Is there another workaround I can do?
When using MAMP, I usually unzip the theme folder and put it right into the /themes directory on my local drive. You can try that.