How to Make a Test Environment Localhost Sandbox for Wordpress

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Looking for a test environment for your Wordpress site, sandbox or localhost?
Perfect for testing and you can also import / export sites to a live server.
Keep your test site as a copy of your live version to test plugins, updates etc before committing to the live site.

Here is a step by step guide:

• Download WampServer - https://wampserver.aviatechno.net/ 
  

596.31MB - V3.2.6 x64 (there is a 32 bit x86 version)

• Install in default C Drive location
  

It will ask about the default browser (Internet Explorer is default) but I'd choose something else, so navigate to that and next.
Default notepad is notepad....next

• You now have your Localhost ready - https://localhost/ (there is no "s" in the http://)
  

To access WampServer settings right click on the Wamp system tray icon.

Note: WampServer icon is GREEN. If the WampServer icon is red or yellow, then it means the services (Apache, MySQL, PHP) are not running. You need to start the services by clicking on the icon before setting up the database.

• Download the latest Wordpress - https://wordpress.org/download/
  

• LEFT click on WampServer icon and select phpMyAdmin
  

It will open a new tab on your browser (or a new window) with the phpMyAdmin welcome and login screen.

• Enter the Username: root
  
• Leave the password blank (empty)
  
• Press "Go”
  

 

• Select Databases (top left corner)
  

• Fill in Database name: test_db
  

• Leave latin_swedish_ci as default and press "Create"
  

• Go to your downloaded Wordpress zip file and extract it
  

• Rename the folder to whatever you like (this will be the URL for the test site)
  

I have chosen "mytestsite" as the folder name so the URL will be https://localhost/mytestsite/ (there is no "s" in http://)

• Cut or Copy and paste the Wordpress (renamed) folder into the www folder in the Wamp install directory (C:\wamp64\www)
  

• Open the URL - https://localhost/mytestsite/ (there is no "s" in the http://)
  

• Select the language
  

• You will see "Welcome to Wordpress" database information. Click "Let's go!"
  

• Enter your details
  

• database name: test_db
  
• Username: root
  
• Password: (empty)
  
• Database Host: localhost
  
• Table Prefix: wp_
  

• Click "submit"
  

• In the next window click "Run the installation"
  

• Enter your details 
  

• Log in and start testing.
  

It’s the same log in path as a live site /wp-admin

• If you want to delete and start again, navigate to your Databases page in Wamp, 
  

select the database (test_db) and click "Drop" then begin again.



HAPPY TESTING for 2022.

P.S. The thread was only limited to 10 images but I had about 14 to post but should be ok for you to follow.

By default, pasting a http:// link will default to https:// in the post.
All local host protocols are http:// (no "s")

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thanks for the guide. very useful

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Amazing guide, thanks a lot

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thanks Creature, ver helpful info!

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Hi Creature, regarding this great tutorial, is it possible for you to share another on how we can backup a live image of a site of put it correctly to test, and also the other way? have a test site tested and then how to copy the files over our hostings? Thank you!

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thanks Creature, ver helpful info!

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Hi Creature, regarding this great tutorial, is it possible for you to share another on how we can backup a live image of a site of put it correctly to test, and also the other way? have a test site tested and then how to copy the files over our hostings? Thank you!

Hey, sure. I can do that.
One option is a direct backup copy of the site (reccomended), install on a test server for updates and major changes then perform the changes on your live server. Backup the test server package for any live server issues.
If the live server version is corrupt then you have the backup (fresh copy) to replace.

Or you could try WP Staging Pro. (see demo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtY-q5BBpeE

Although this plugin has backup and restore functions, it's not the plugin I will do a tutorial with but a lot of people really like it.

Then there is the group of people that are anti-plugin for backup but this is fine for a personal website.

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As an easier alternative there's Local by Flywheel which is amazing and free https://localwp.com/ I use it on Windows via the Ubuntu version with WSL2 and works just great.

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As an easier alternative there's Local by Flywheel which is amazing and free https://localwp.com/ I use it on Windows via the Ubuntu version with WSL2 and works just great.

Agreed, I used to be a wampserver user, but a few tweaks they did to updates often caused me to have workarounds, I then found local and found it much easier to use and work with.

I know each to their own as such, but I found local less needy than wampserver and cleaner all round  2c

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Great Guide! I will definitely set this up on my machine or a VM. Thank you very much!

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Realy realy cool and thank you for time and sharing !!! it s realy goood !!! :)

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I personally had to go XAMPP because of Linux support. I also found it loaded Divi pages faster.
But nice guide, I'll follow if I need to work on a Windows PC.

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Agreed, I used to be a wampserver user, but a few tweaks they did to updates often caused me to have workarounds, I then found local and found it much easier to use and work with.

I know each to their own as such, but I found local less needy than wampserver and cleaner all round  2c

I honestly can't understand how Local can be so amazing and free. Kinda scared they're spying on me haha

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I honestly can't understand how Local can be so amazing and free. Kinda scared they're spying on me haha

I don't use the local 'account' stuff, I keep it 'local'  no cloud

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As an easier alternative there's Local by Flywheel which is amazing and free https://localwp.com/ I use it on Windows via the Ubuntu version with WSL2 and works just great.

I personally feel that Bitnami is even easier and more stable.

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Agreed, I used to be a wampserver user, but a few tweaks they did to updates often caused me to have workarounds, I then found local and found it much easier to use and work with.

I know each to their own as such, but I found local less needy than wampserver and cleaner all round  2c

Can you use local to publish to your own web server?

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Can you use local to publish to your own web server?

That's a difficult ? to answer, as in what your definition of 'your own web server' is..

If you mean a self hosted, then yes, local allows you to 'serve' your site from the local copy, but to transfer to a hosted site is not automated and needs the usual sql db stuff to be done.