Installing WordPress locally will allow you to build themes safely and will allow you to try out WordPress for free without paying for hosting.

• MAMP
• WordPress

The first step to installing WordPress locally is to download MAMP. MAMP stands for Macintosh, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. This is the local server that will run the new install of WordPress. Installing MAMP should be easy because it is like installing any other app.

After MAMP is installed you will want to uninstall MAMP pro. To do this, just navigate to your applications folder and find the MAMP pro folder. There will be an uninstaller inside of this folder. I chose to click all of the check boxes, since it is a fresh install of MAMP.

Open the MAMP application and you should be greeted with this screen:

We have to set some preferences so click the preferences icon. On the preferences screen click Ports.

Here you can leave the ports as is which will require you to include the port number in the URL localhost:8888.

If you don't want to include the port number in the URL, you can change the Apache and MySQL ports to 80. The reason I chose not to do this is because you will always be asked for your password

Next you will click the Apache tab and set a document root. I chose to create a new folder called "Sites" in my user folder.

Now that we are done editing all of the settings, hit OK to save.

To start MAMP click "Start Servers."

This should open a new window with the address http://localhost:8888/MAMP/?language=English in your web browser.

If your browser didn't open, you should be able to click Open WebStart page.

Creating a Database

The next step is to click the phpMyAdmin link under MySQL which will take you to this page:

Click new in the left navigation menu.

Enter a name for the Database and then click create. I chose "WordPress."

Unzip the WordPress file that you downloaded and drag it's contents into the folder you created earlier as your document root.

Once the files are copied, go to localhost:8888.

Choose you language and at the next screen click Let's Go.

Enter the name of the Database you created, and "root" for the username and password, and click submit.

Click Run the install, and on the next screen enter the details for your log in.

Click Submit, and you will be taken to the log in for your local hosted WordPress.

Success! Log in with the username and password you created.