Installing WordPress on macOS with MAMP

Installing WordPress on macOS with MAMP

Deploying a local WordPress environment on macOS using MAMP is an excellent way to develop, test and experiment with themes and plugins before going live. MAMP provides a preconfigured Apache, MySQL and PHP stack, simplifying the setup process. This guide offers a comprehensive, step-by-step approach, from initial installation through troubleshooting and security best practices.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Downloading and Installing MAMP
• Configuring MAMP
• Creating a MySQL Database
• Downloading and Setting Up WordPress
• Running the WordPress Installer
• Troubleshooting Common Issues
• Security Best Practices
• Conclusion

1. Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

• macOS version: 10.13 (High Sierra) or later recommended.
• Free disk space: At least 500 MB for basic WordPress files, plus space for backups and media.
• Administrator access: You must be able to install applications and modify system configurations.
• Internet connection: To download MAMP and WordPress.

2. Downloading and Installing MAMP

MAMP bundles Apache, MySQL and PHP in one package. Follow these steps:

1. Visit the official MAMP website at https://www.mamp.info/en/.
2. Click Download to get the latest MAMP MAMP PRO package. (The free MAMP version suffices for local development.)
3. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow on-screen instructions:
   • Accept the license agreement.
   • Select the default installation directory (/Applications/MAMP).
   • Authenticate with your macOS credentials.
4. After installation, open the MAMP application from /Applications/MAMP/MAMP.app.

3. Configuring MAMP

Adjust server settings to optimize your local environment:

Setting	Recommendation
Apache Port	80 (requires sudo privileges) or 8888 (default)
MySQL Port	3306 (standard)
Document Root	/Applications/MAMP/htdocs
PHP Version	Use the latest stable (e.g., PHP 7.4 or 8.0 )

To change these, click Preferences in the MAMP window, then navigate to Ports and PHP tabs.

4. Creating a MySQL Database

WordPress requires a MySQL/MariaDB database. Create one via phpMyAdmin:

1. Start MAMP servers by clicking Start Servers.
2. Click Open WebStart page, then phpMyAdmin in the left menu.
3. In phpMyAdmin, click Databases. Under Create database, enter:
   • Database name: wordpress_db (or your preferred name)
   • Collation: utf8mb4_unicode_ci
4. Click Create. Note the database name for later.

5. Downloading and Setting Up WordPress

Get the latest WordPress package and prepare your project folder:

1. Download WordPress from the official site: https://wordpress.org/download/.
2. Unzip the wordpress-x.x.x.zip file.
3. Rename the extracted folder to mywp (or a name of your choice).
4. Move mywp into /Applications/MAMP/htdocs.

Directory structure example:

/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/
└── mywp/
    ├── wp-admin/
    ├── wp-content/
    ├── wp-includes/
    └── index.php
  

6. Running the WordPress Installer

Now connect WordPress to your database and complete the setup:

1. Open a browser and navigate to:
   http://localhost:8888/mywp/ (or http://localhost/mywp/ if Apache is on port 80).
2. Select your language and proceed.
3. On the database setup screen, enter:
   • Database Name: wordpress_db
   • Username: root
   • Password: root (default for MAMP)
   • Database Host: localhost
   • Table Prefix: wp_ (change for security if desired)
4. Click Submit, then Run the installation.
5. Fill in site details:
   • Site Title: e.g., My Local WordPress
   • Username: choose a secure admin username
   • Password: strong and unique
   • Your Email: valid address
6. Click Install WordPress. Upon success, click Log In.

7. Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Error Establishing a Database Connection: Verify database credentials in wp-config.php.
• 404 Not Found: Check the document root path and URL port number.
• Port Conflict: If Apache or MySQL fails to start, change their ports under MAMP Preferences → Ports.
• PHP Version Mismatch: Ensure WordPress supports the selected PHP version switch in MAMP’s PHP tab.

8. Security Best Practices

Even for a local environment, following security measures can prevent bad habits when migrating to production:

• Change the default MySQL root password via phpMyAdmin.
• Set a non-standard table prefix in wp-config.php (e.g., wp_ab12_).
• Use strong, unique passwords and consider a password manager.
• Disable file editing in the dashboard by adding define(DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT, true) to wp-config.php.
• Regularly back up your local database and wp-content folder.

9. Conclusion

Setting up WordPress on macOS with MAMP is straightforward and provides a fully functional development environment. You’ve learned how to install MAMP, configure ports, create a database, install WordPress and follow essential security practices. With this local setup, you can build and test sites quickly, ensuring a smooth transition to live servers.

For further reading and official documentation, refer to:

• MAMP Documentation
• WordPress Installation Handbook

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