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