Are you wondering whether you can build your WordPress website offline with Local? Yes, you can!
Whether you’re creating a website for your small business or someone else, it is less stressful to know that you can create it offline without worrying about it being live. This helps if you’re not an experienced web developer and would like to explore as much as you can to build the best website.
Fortunately, you can build your website offline using Local WP. In this article, we will take you through all the necessary steps and information to build your website offline.
Why Would You Want to Build a Website Offline?
Building your website while it’s live is not unheard of, but it can be quite stressful. You might want to consider building your WordPress website offline for several reasons. These include:
Keeping the Website Private
When you’re in the building phase of a website, there will most likely be a lot of trial and error, this is likely because you are still trying to piece things together and might make a variety of changes. Because of this, you do not want to give your viewers the impression that your website is ready, only for them to find a work-in-progress.
Testing Your Website
Building a website requires numerous rounds of testing to ensure that it is user-friendly and provides the best overall experience. These tests shouldn’t be limited to when your website is live.
There are many things that can go wrong while you are building a site, you might install a faulty plugin or discover that something is wrong with your website’s coding. Testing while your website is offline allows you to fix any issues that may come up before your website goes live (and looks questionable in the front end).
Explore Tools for Website Integration
You might plan on using specific plugins for your website, but might not be aware of its effects on your website’s functionality and performance. Additionally, there are other integrations you might want to test, like your payment gateway.
Work on Your Website, Anywhere, Anytime
Unlike web servers that rely on a constant Internet connection, building your website offline removes the worry associated with interruption to your Internet connection. So, you can code offline, at any time or place.
It’s Free!
Building your website offline is free! The cost of hosting can be steep, and sometimes websites can take months to build. Fortunately, creating your website offline allows you to enjoy the process without spending money on any monthly costs before your site is live.
What is Local From WordPress?
The term Local might suggest geographical space in the English language, but in developer talk, Local refers to the digital space of your device, as opposed to a live server. Local is also a platform by WordPress engine that allows you to build your WordPress website locally.
So, you can make as many changes to your website, without it being visible once you upload the website and make it go live.
How to Get Started Building Your Website With Local
Setting up your WordPress website is quite simple. Follow these steps to build your WordPress website offline with local:
Step 1: Install Local on Your Device
Head to localwp.com and click on the “download for free” button. A pop-up will appear asking you to fill in your details, including your device platform. Fortunately, Local supports Windows, Mac, and Linux. Once you’ve filled in your details, click on the “Get it Now” button.
Step 2: Run the Installer File
Once your file has been downloaded, run the installer file and follow the prompts to install. Once the installation is complete, your local dashboard will open up.
Step 3: Create Your Website
Once the dashboard is open, you can navigate through the options by clicking the hamburger menu in the top corner of the screen. Once you are satisfied with the options, you can click the “create a new site button” at the centre of the screen.
When that is completed, you will be taken to a set-up page where you’ll create a website name and choose a domain name. The next step required you to choose between a preferred or custom environment.
If you’re a beginner, preferred might be the best option for you, as it creates your local site with recommended tools. Lastly, after choosing your environment, a “Setup WordPress” page will pop up where you’ll need to set up your username and password details.
Once you’re done, you’ll see your website in the dashboard.
To find out more about the different website hosting options you can look into other than WordPress, Top E-commerce Website Builders for Small Businesses.
