How to configure WordPress using Xampp in localhost

Introduction: configure Your Local WordPress Development Environment using Xampp

Welcome to this complete guide to configure WordPress using Xampp. Xampp is a powerful, free, and open-source local server solution that allows you to create a fully functional WordPress website on your personal computer without needing live web hosting. Whether you’re a beginner learning WordPress, a developer testing new features, or a designer creating custom themes, this local environment provides a safe, fast, and offline space to build, experiment, and perfect your WordPress projects before launching them to the world.

Why Use XAMPP for WordPress?

Local configuring of WordPress with XAMPP offers numerous advantages:

• Zero Cost: No hosting fees during development
• Complete Control: Full access to server settings and files
• High Speed: Lightning-fast performance without internet latency
• Risk-Free Testing: Experiment without affecting live websites
• Offline Access: Work anywhere without internet connectivity
• Streamlined Workflow: Easily transfer sites to live servers when ready

What XAMPP stands for

Here’s the breakdown of the name:

• X → Cross-platform (works on Windows, macOS, Linux)
• A → Apache (the web server)
• M → MySQL / MariaDB (the database)
• P → PHP
• P → Perl

What people use XAMPP for

• Building and testing websites offline
• Developing PHP applications
• Working with databases (MySQL/MariaDB)
• Learning backend web development without needing real hosting

What it gives you

• A local web server (Apache)
• A database server
• PHP & Perl support
• phpMyAdmin (a web interface to manage databases)

What This Guide Covers for configuring WordPress using Xampp

This comprehensive tutorial will walk you through:

1. XAMPP Installation – Setting up the Apache, MySQL, and PHP stack on your computer
2. Database Configuration – Creating MySQL databases for WordPress
3. WordPress Installation – Downloading and configuring WordPress core files
4. Development Environment Setup – Optimizing your local server for WordPress

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully operational WordPress installation running on your local machine, ready for theme development, plugin creation, content building, or any other WordPress project you envision.

Let’s begin transforming your computer into a powerful WordPress development workstation!

Configure WordPress and Xampp

Download and configure Xampp

1. Download Xampp and install it in your local computer.

2. Run Xampp software, start MySQL database and Apache Web Server.

Download and configuring WordPress Core directory

1. Download WordPress zip file.

2. Make a new folder such as “newtheme ” inside folder xampp/htdoc and unzip wordpress zip file in it. Now you will have wordpress core file in directory xampp/htdoc/newtheme

3. Replace following code in wp-config.php with exiting ones.
4. <?php
   
   define( ‘DB_NAME’, ‘newtheme’ );
   define( ‘DB_USER’, ‘root’ );
   define( ‘DB_PASSWORD’, ” );
   define( ‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’ );
   define( ‘DB_CHARSET’, ‘utf8’ );
   define( ‘DB_COLLATE’, ” );
   /**#@+
   * Authentication unique keys and salts.
   *
   * Change these to different unique phrases! You can generate these using
   * the {@link https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/ WordPress.org secret-key service}.
   *
   * You can change these at any point in time to invalidate all existing cookies.
   * This will force all users to have to log in again.
   *
   * @since 2.6.0
   */
   define( ‘AUTH_KEY’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘SECURE_AUTH_KEY’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘LOGGED_IN_KEY’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘NONCE_KEY’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘AUTH_SALT’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘SECURE_AUTH_SALT’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘LOGGED_IN_SALT’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   define( ‘NONCE_SALT’, ‘put your unique phrase here’ );
   
   /**#@-*/
   
   /**
   * WordPress database table prefix.
   *
   * You can have multiple installations in one database if you give each
   * a unique prefix. Only numbers, letters, and underscores please!
   *
   * At the installation time, database tables are created with the specified prefix.
   * Changing this value after WordPress is installed will make your site think
   * it has not been installed.
   *
   * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/wordpress/wp-config/#table-prefix
   */
   $table_prefix = ‘wp_’;
   
   /**
   * For developers: WordPress debugging mode.
   *
   * Change this to true to enable the display of notices during development.
   * It is strongly recommended that plugin and theme developers use WP_DEBUG
   * in their development environments.
   *
   * For information on other constants that can be used for debugging,
   * visit the documentation.
   *
   * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/debug/debug-wordpress/
   */
   define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false );
   
   define( ‘FS_METHOD’, ‘direct’ );
   /* Add any custom values between this line and the “stop editing” line. */
   /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */
   
   /** Absolute path to the WordPress directory. *
   if ( ! defined( ‘ABSPATH’ ) ) {
   define( ‘ABSPATH’, __DIR__ . ‘/’ );
   }
   
   /** Sets up WordPress vars and included files. */
   require_once ABSPATH . ‘wp-settings.php’;

Establish database connection

1. Check the connection with url http://localhost/newtheme. It will shows ” Error establishing a database connection ” cause there is no database made till now.

2. Go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin. Create new database name as “newtheme”.

Install and configuring WordPress

1. Go to http://localhost/newtheme/wp-login.php . It will start to install wordpress database in phpmyadmin and assign database name as “newtheme” , give username as “root” and password blank.

2. After this, start to setting WordPress parameter such as login username and password etc as per your need.

Note: If you think you need to change the folder name, after change the folder name, you should make database again for the renamed the folder. Database name can not be renamed.

Conclusion

XAMPP provides a simple and powerful way to create a local web-development environment by bundling Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP, and Perl into one easy-to-use package. It allows developers to build, test, and experiment with websites—especially WordPress—without needing live hosting or an internet connection. By correctly configure XAMPP, setting up the database, and adjusting the wp-config.php file, you can successfully install and run WordPress on your local machine. This setup is ideal for learning, theme and plugin development, and safe testing before deploying a site to a live server.

After success-full configuration, you can use our latest wordpress theme for newsmagazine style website. You can contribute to our GitHub directory as well. All of our free themes are verified by wordpress theme directory

Get assistance with setup errors by leaving a comment below. Our team is here to help and will respond to your inquiries.