Create your first WordPress site on your computer

Lesson 1 of 24

1. Install and open Local, the WordPress app

Download Local for your computer using the links below. Run the installer, read its prompts, then open Local. You may see a screen like this. If asked about optional usage reporting, choose your preference. No, thanks declines reporting.

Local asks whether to enable optional usage reporting. — First you may see a usage-reporting choice. Choose whether to share reports.

Local with no sites and Create a new site available. — Then you may see the sites screen, with `Create a new site` available.

Check: You should now see the Local sites screen, with an option to create a site.

2. Start one new practice site

Choose Create a new site. On the next screen, keep Create a new site selected, then choose Continue. Use this one practice site throughout the course.

Check: You should now see a box where you can name the site.

3. Give the practice site a name

Type My Practice Site, then choose Continue. This name helps you find your site in Local. Keep the default options.

Local site name set to My Practice Site with the local domain and folder in Advanced options. — Type `My Practice Site` in the site-name box. You can leave `Advanced options` closed.

Check: After you continue, you should see the environment choices.

Optional: more about this step

Local's site name helps you find it on your computer. In lesson 2, you will change the website's visible name to Cedar Lane Garden Care.

4. Use the preferred environment

Keep Preferred selected, then choose Continue. Local sets up the software WordPress needs.

Check: You should now see the WordPress account setup screen.

5. Create your WordPress sign-in

Choose your own WordPress username and a strong password. Save them in your password manager. Enter your email address; do not copy the fictional account details in the screenshot. Choose Add Site and let Local finish. These are the details you will use to sign in to this WordPress site.

Local WordPress setup with a practice username, hidden password and fictional email address. — Before you click `Add Site`, check your username and email. Keep your password private.

Check: Local should begin creating your site. Wait for it to finish before opening it.

6. Wait until the site is running

Select My Practice Site in Local and wait until setup finishes. Look for Stop site, WP Admin and Open site. Open site opens the website visitors see. WP Admin opens the dashboard where you edit and manage it.

Local overview shows the newly created My Practice Site running WordPress 7.1 — After setup finishes, you may see this overview. Your site name should be in the list on the left.

Check: You should now see My Practice Site in the list and Stop site available.

7. Open the front of the site

Choose Open site. Your browser opens the visitor view, with a starter page or sample post. Keep Local running while you use the site. This is still a practice website on your computer, not a published website.

The new WordPress site opens with My Practice Site and its sample post — After you click `Open site`, you may see a starter page like this. Its design can differ.

Check: You should now see your practice website in the browser.

8. Sign in to the Dashboard

Return to Local and choose WP Admin. If asked, enter the WordPress username and password you just created, then choose Log In. The dashboard is where you edit and manage your site. Look for Dashboard and the menu on the left.

The WordPress Dashboard opens for the practice account — Then, after you click `Log In`, the dashboard opens. Look for your site name in the top bar.

Check: You should now see Dashboard and your site name in the top bar.

9. Stop the site when you finish

Save any WordPress changes. Return to Local and choose Stop site for My Practice Site. Stopping pauses the website and keeps your saved work. Do not delete the site.

Check: You should now see Start site. Your site should still be in the list.

10. Start the same site and return

Choose Start site for the same My Practice Site. Wait until it is running, then choose Open site or WP Admin. Sign in again if asked. Use this same site for lesson 2.

Check: The same site or dashboard should open again. You do not need to create another site.

Practise

Stop My Practice Site, start it again, and try both Open site and WP Admin. Which one shows the website, and which one lets you edit it?

Check your result

My Practice Site is in Local.
Open site opens your practice website.
WP Admin opens the dashboard after you sign in.
Your site opens again after you stop and start it.

If something goes wrong

Site will not open? Check that My Practice Site is running in Local, then choose Open site again. Cannot sign in? Use the WordPress account you created for this site, not your PlainPerks account. Setup failed? Read the error and use the official installation guide for your computer. Do not create repeated copies or delete your site to work around an unfinished setup.

Optional notes

About the different site addresses

You do not need to change address settings to start this lesson. Use Open site to open the address Local gives your site. The screenshots use localhost, an address on this computer. If Local reports a router problem, its official help explains this fallback: open Preferences, then Advanced, set Router mode to localhost, and choose Apply. This changes how Local opens sites; leave it alone if your site already opens.

Find the practice email inbox

You can skip this until a later lesson uses email. In Local, open your site's Tools tab, then choose Open Mailpit. Mailpit catches messages from your practice site. This inbox may be empty. Seeing a message here does not mean it reached a real email account.

About these screenshots and the course

You need a computer where you can install applications. These screenshots use Local 10.1.1 on Ubuntu 24.04; your screens may look different. The course builds a fictional garden-care website. Keep using the same practice site in later lessons.

Words used in this lesson

Local site: A website that runs on your own computer for practice.
WordPress: The software used to write and manage the website.
Dashboard: The signed-in screen where you manage a WordPress site.
Local: The application that starts and stops the WordPress practice site on your computer.

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