Title: Local development environment Published: 2 February 2024 Last modified: 24 July 2025 --- [Home](https://learn.wordpress.org)[Courses](https://learn.wordpress.org/courses/) [Beginner WordPress Developer](https://learn.wordpress.org/course/beginner-wordpress-developer/) Local development environment [ Exit Course ](https://learn.wordpress.org/course/beginner-wordpress-developer/) 1. a. [ WordPress and web servers ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/wordpress-and-web-servers/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/wordpress-and-web-servers/) b. [ The WordPress file structure ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-wordpress-file-structure/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-wordpress-file-structure/) c. [ The WordPress database ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-wordpress-database/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-wordpress-database/) d. [ Permalinks, rewriting urls on Apache and Nginx ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/permalinks-rewriting-urls-on-apache-and-nginx/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/permalinks-rewriting-urls-on-apache-and-nginx/) e. [ Front-end page request ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/front-end-page-request/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/front-end-page-request/) f. [ Admin page request ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/admin-page-request/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/admin-page-request/) 2. 6 lessons 3. a. [ Local development environment ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/local-development-environment/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/local-development-environment/) b. [ WordPress Installation ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/wordpress-installation/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/wordpress-installation/) c. [ Code editor ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/code-editor/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/code-editor/) d. [ Other useful development tools ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/other-useful-development-tools/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/other-useful-development-tools/) 4. 4 lessons 5. a. [ HTML ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/html/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/html/) b. [ CSS ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/css/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/css/) c. [ JavaScript ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/javascript/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/javascript/) d. [ PHP ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/php/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/php/) e. [ MySQL ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/mysql/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/mysql/) 6. 5 lessons 7. a. [ WordPress Hooks ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/wordpress-hooks/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/wordpress-hooks/) b. [ Action Hooks ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/action-hooks/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/action-hooks/) c. [ Filter Hooks ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/filter-hooks/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/filter-hooks/) d. [ Working with hooks ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/working-with-hooks/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/working-with-hooks/) 8. 4 lessons 9. a. [ Introduction to themes for developers ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/what-is-a-theme/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/what-is-a-theme/) b. [ Theme structure ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/theme-structure/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/theme-structure/) c. [ Main stylesheet ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/main-stylesheet/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/main-stylesheet/) d. [ Templates ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/templates-3/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/templates-3/) e. [ Global settings and styles ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/global-settings-and-styles/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/global-settings-and-styles/) f. [ Create Block Theme plugin ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/create-block-theme-plugin/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/create-block-theme-plugin/) 10. 6 lessons 11. a. [ What is a plugin? ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/what-is-a-plugin/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/what-is-a-plugin/) b. [ Plugin requirements ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/plugin-requirements/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/plugin-requirements/) c. [ Custom post types ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/custom-post-types/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/custom-post-types/) d. [ Custom taxonomies ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/custom-taxonomies/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/custom-taxonomies/) e. [ Custom post type data ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/custom-post-type-data/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/custom-post-type-data/) f. [ Enqueuing CSS or JavaScript ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/enqueuing-css-or-javascript/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/enqueuing-css-or-javascript/) 12. 6 lessons 13. a. [ Setting up your block development environment ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/setting-up-your-block-development-environment/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/setting-up-your-block-development-environment/) b. [ Scaffolding a new block ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/scaffolding-a-new-block/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/scaffolding-a-new-block/) c. [ Building your first block ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/building-your-first-block/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/building-your-first-block/) d. [ Block functionality ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/block-functionality/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/block-functionality/) e. [ Block attributes ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/block-attributes-2/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/block-attributes-2/) f. [ Block supports and styles ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/block-supports-and-styles/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/block-supports-and-styles/) g. [ Static vs dynamic blocks ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/static-vs-dynamic-blocks/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/static-vs-dynamic-blocks/) 14. 7 lessons 15. a. [ The WordPress REST API ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-wordpress-rest-api/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-wordpress-rest-api/) b. [ Using the WordPress REST API ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/using-the-wordpress-rest-api/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/using-the-wordpress-rest-api/) c. [ Interacting with the WordPress REST API ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/interacting-with-the-wordpress-rest-api/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/interacting-with-the-wordpress-rest-api/) d. [ Extending the WordPress REST API ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/extending-the-wordpress-rest-api/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/extending-the-wordpress-rest-api/) 16. 4 lessons 17. a. [ Securely developing plugins and themes ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/securely-developing-plugins-and-themes/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/securely-developing-plugins-and-themes/) b. [ Fixing common security vulnerabilities ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/fixing-common-security-vulnerabilities/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/fixing-common-security-vulnerabilities/) c. [ Tools to detect security vulnerabilities ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/tools-to-detect-security-vulnerabilities/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/tools-to-detect-security-vulnerabilities/) 18. 3 lessons 19. a. [ What is Internationalization? ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/what-is-internationalization/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/what-is-internationalization/) b. [ The commonly used Internationalization functions ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-commonly-used-internationalization-functions/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-commonly-used-internationalization-functions/) 20. 2 lessons 21. a. [ Setting up a WordPress multisite network ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/setting-up-a-wordpress-multisite-network/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/setting-up-a-wordpress-multisite-network/) b. [ Managing a WordPress multisite network ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/managing-a-wordpress-multisite-network/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/managing-a-wordpress-multisite-network/) c. [ Advanced multisite management ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/advanced-multisite-management/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/advanced-multisite-management/) d. [ Developing for a multisite network ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/developing-for-a-multisite-network/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/developing-for-a-multisite-network/) e. [ Building plugins and themes that support multisite ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/building-plugins-and-themes-that-support-multisite/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/building-plugins-and-themes-that-support-multisite/) 22. 5 lessons 23. a. [ The built-in WordPress debugging options ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-built-in-wordpress-debugging-options/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/the-built-in-wordpress-debugging-options/) b. [ Examining the state of your PHP code ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/examining-the-state-of-your-php-code/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/examining-the-state-of-your-php-code/) c. [ Examining the state of your JavaScript code ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/examining-the-state-of-your-javascript-code/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/examining-the-state-of-your-javascript-code/) d. [ Useful debugging plugins ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/useful-debugging-plugins/) [Preview](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/useful-debugging-plugins/) 24. 4 lessons 25. a. [ Quiz time ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/quiz-time/) 26. 1 lesson, 1 quiz 27. a. [ Time to test your skills ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/time-to-test-your-skills/) 28. 1 lesson, 1 quiz 29. a. [ Test your knowledge ](https://learn.wordpress.org/lesson/test-your-knowledge/) 30. 1 lesson, 1 quiz ### Local development requirements # Local development environment To develop with WordPress, there are a few things you will need to install on your computer, the first of which is a local development environment. There are many options for local development environments, and in this lesson, you’ll learn about some of the most popular options. ## A quick intro to terminology Developers tend to use different terms to refer to the different WordPress environments they might use. The WordPress site that lives on the internet, and that users interact with, is often referred to as the live or production environment. This is the site where all the final content is published and any custom code is live. Sometimes, developers will create a separate server environment for testing new features or changes to the site. This is often referred to as the staging environment. This is a copy of the live site that is accessible via the internet, but usually only to the site owner or the developer. It is used to test new features or changes before they are deployed to the live site. Finally, developers will often have a local environment. This is a copy of the live or staging site that is installed on their computer. This is where they will do the majority of their development work. ## Local development environments Having a local development environment you are comfortable with allows you to focus on writing code, without having to worry about the complexities of setting up a web server and a database server on your computer. It also allows you to work offline, and test things out without the need to upload the code to a live site. Some local development environments also offer additional features, such as a built- in database management tool, or the ability to quickly change PHP versions. In the WordPress space, there are typically two types of local development environments: those that are created and maintained by members of the WordPress community, and those that are created and maintained by non-profits or companies. [wp-env](https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/reference-guides/packages/packages-env/) is the local development environment currently recommended by the WordPress developer documentation. It requires a working knowledge of the command line, an installation of [Docker](https://www.docker.com/), and [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/). [VVV or Varying Vagrant Vagrants](https://varyingvagrantvagrants.org/) is another local development environment maintained by members of the WordPress community. It also requires a working knowledge of the command line, and an installation of [VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org/) and [Vagrant](https://www.vagrantup.com/). Another free and open-source option is [XAMPP](https://www.apachefriends.org/). XAMPP is a local development environment that is maintained by Apache Friends, a non-profit project created to promote the Apache web server. While not specifically a WordPress local development environment, it includes everything you need, the Apache web server, a database server, and PHP. Like XAMPP, [MAMP](https://www.mamp.info/en) is another local development environment that is not specifically designed for WordPress, but it includes everything you need to get started. Unlike XAMPP, MAMP is not open source and is available in both a free and a paid version. Other WordPress local development environments include [WordPress Studio](https://developer.wordpress.com/studio/) and [DevKinsta](https://kinsta.com/devkinsta/). Each of these products is created and maintained by their parent company, and each offer their own unique features. ## Choosing a local development environment Choosing a local development environment is a personal choice, and there is no right or wrong answer. You will need to review all the features of each option, the pros and cons, and decide which one is best for you. 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