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Local: Build a Desktop Database to Develop and Sync Your WordPress Site

If you’ve done a lot of WordPress development, you know that it’s often much more flexible and fast to work on your local desktop or laptop than to always have to worry about connecting remotely. Running a local database server can be quite a pain, though… like setting up MAMP or XAMPP to startup a local web server, accommodate your programming language, and then connect to your database.

WordPress is pretty simple from an architecture standpoint… running PHP and MySQL on an NGINX or Apache Server. So, throwing an entire web server architecture on your laptop may be a ton of overhead… not to mention actually learning how to launch the web server, launch the database server, and connect the two!

Local: One Click WordPress Installation

Local makes creating a local WordPress site a total breeze, so you don’t have to bother with setting it up yourself. One click and your site is ready to go – SSL included! The list of features is pretty incredible!

Local by Flywheel
  • Site Services – Native, OS-level PHP, MYSQL, web server services. Config files to individual PHP versions, NGINX, Apache, and MySQL are all exposed for editing.
  • Site Management – Hot-swap between NGINX or Apache, PHP versions (5.6, 7.3 and 7.4 with Opcache), and Site URL. Log files to individual PHP versions, NGINX, Apache, and MySQL are all conveniently exposed.
  • Clone Sites – All files, databases, configurations, including the Site URL can be safely changed and cloned.
  • Debug – quickly debug PHP (Xdebug available from the Add-ons Library)
  • HTTPS tunnel – Self-signed certificates are automatically created for new sites. Basic site tunnels provided by Ngrok, persistent URLs with higher connection limits, test stripe webhooks, PayPal IPN, and Rest APIs
  • WordPress Multisite – support for subdomain and subdirectory installations with one-click to sync subdomain to hosts file.
  • Site Blueprints – save any site as a blueprint to re-use later. All files, databases, config files, and Local settings will be restored.
  • Import / Export – includes site files, databases, config files, log files, and Local settings. Exclude files from your exports such as archives, PSDs, .git directories, etc.
  • Mail – MailHog is included to intercept any outgoing email from PHP sendmail for viewing and debugging (this also means you can test emails while offline).
  • SSH + WP-CLI – Simple root SSH access to individual sites. WP-CLI provided, simply type “wp” after opening site SSH.
  • Support – includes Community Forums, in-app support, and ticketing.

Sync and Deploy from Local to Flywheel or WPEngine

Even better, your local instance can be deployed and synchronized to some fantastic WordPress managed hosting services:

  • Deploy WordPress – to Flywheel production, Flywheel staging, or to WP Engine
  • MagicSync – only files that have changed will be displayed when moving between environments.

Local was actually released by Flywheel!

Download Local

Disclosure: We’re an affiliate of Flywheel (our site is hosted here!) and WP Engine.

Douglas Karr

Douglas Karr is CMO of OpenINSIGHTS and the founder of the Martech Zone. Douglas has helped dozens of successful MarTech startups, has assisted in the due diligence of over $5 bil in Martech acquisitions and investments, and continues to assist companies in implementing and automating their sales and marketing strategies. Douglas is an internationally recognized digital transformation and MarTech expert and speaker. Douglas is also a published author of a Dummie's guide and a business leadership book.

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