Local

What Local is

Local is a desktop application for developing WordPress sites locally. It installs WordPress with one click and includes SSL for the site. Development tools include root SSH access, WP-CLI and the ability to switch PHP environments. Local includes native PHP, MySQL, NGINX and Apache services, with an option to switch between NGINX and Apache. Sites can be imported and exported with their files, databases and configuration files. Local Connect pushes and pulls sites to and from Flywheel and WP Engine; Connect is free, while hosting costs depend on the selected plan. Cloud Backups connects to Dropbox or Google Drive to store project files, directories and databases, but backups must be started through the interface rather than running automatically. Live Links creates secure, persistent URLs for client and coworker review. Image Optimizer compresses local images offline. Its HTTP/HTTPS tunnel can expose a site to other devices and supports testing Stripe WebHooks, PayPal IPN and REST APIs. Local is free and offers Windows, macOS and Linux downloads. Support resources include community forums, help documentation and release notes.