Easily create a new WordPress project in MAMP

One sentence first: If you are not sure whether MAMP is the right choice for you to work locally with WordPress, take a look at my newer post on »WordPress with ›local by flywheel‹ on your own computer / locally installing« . In my opinion, »Local« is an absolutely worthwhile alternative to MAMP!

Stupid if you fail when creating a new WordPress project in MAMP: here are very small steps. There are 16 individual steps, but the three central points are the following:

1. Create a database in PHPMyAdmin when MAMP is started
2. Place unpacked WordPress data in Program Files/MAMP/htdocs/ and rename the parent folder previously named “wordpress”.
3. Call up this folder in the browser via localhost:8888/new-folder-name: this will trigger the actual WordPress installation

If you want to download the steps as a PDF:

Create-a-new-WordPress-Project-in-MAMP.pdf (982 downloads) 3MB

Here are the steps in detail:

1. MAMP: Start server

1. Start server

2. MAMP: Open WebStart

1. This shows: the Apache and MySQL servers are running. We need both for WordPress
2. If you are not directed directly to the WebStart page in the browser: you can use this button to get there at any time.

3. MAMP: WebStart – Open PHPMyAdmin

1. In the “Tools” menu you will find “PHPMyAdmin”. We use it to manage databases – and the only thing that is necessary here is to create a new database.

4. localhost:8888 / localhost | phpMyAdmin 4.7.3

1. Create a new database with this button

5. localhost:8888 / localhost | phpMyAdmin 4.7.3

1. Enter any name here and copy the name out immediately. You need it right away when installing WordPress. (You can come back here at any time later to look up the name.)
2. Create the new database with the »Create« button.

6. localhost:8888 / localhost / project-abc | phpMyAdmin 4.7.3

1. An overview of your databases is displayed here: and of course the new database can also be seen here.
2. Here comes the message that the database is empty. Sure: it’s still new and WordPress hasn’t written anything into it yet. If you have noted or copied the database name, you can close this tab in the browser: there is nothing more to do here.

7. German — WordPress

1. Now download the WordPress files. You can get it from de.wordpress.org
2. Here is the corresponding button.

8. German « Download — WordPress

1. Download the data after forwarding

9.htdocs

1. Unzip the downloaded archive
2. The resulting folder »wordpress«
3. move to MAMP’s htdocs folder.

10. project abc

1. Rename the “wordpress” folder: I used “projekt-abc” here. You call up this folder for the installation of WordPress in the browser. (Note: For the sake of simplicity, I have used the database name for the sake of simplicity, but this is not a must.)

11. Index of /

1. You can see the folder in the browser if you enter “localhost:8888”.
2. If you then go to the folder name, the installation of WordPress will be initiated.

12. WordPress › Setup configuration file

1. You’ve done it soon 😉

13. WordPress › Setup configuration file

1. Now enter the database name that you assigned earlier under phpmyadmin.
2. Under MAMP, the username of the database is “root”
3. and the database password as well. You can leave the database host and the table prefix at the default values.
4. And »off the post« 😉

14. WordPress › Setup configuration file

You’ve really made it! 🙂

15. WordPress › Installation

1. You can also change this entry later at any time in the dashboard under »Settings > General > Website title«.
2. Because you’re working locally, you can use something like “admin” here.
3. And here too 😉
4. Insert your email address here.
5. Go!

16. WordPress › Installation

1. Yippee!
2. And off to the dashboard / backend! Congratulation! Wasn’t that difficult 😉

What’s next?

When you later finish your WordPress site locally under MAMP, you have to upload all the data (WordPress files, database, media files, plugins, themes) to a web space and install it there. You have to rent this web space from a hosting provider.

For this copying of your local data and the subsequent installation on your personal web space, there is an extremely useful plugin that you can use free of charge: Duplicator (de.wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator). If you are interested in this topic: I made a video about it – you can find it here on my blog under Videotutorial: Moving a WordPress site to a web server with the plugin duplicator.

Are you getting on with the instructions? Or is there a problem somewhere? Feel free to leave me a comment – I’ll be happy to try to help you!