Installation on Windows (XAMPP / WAMP)

Why you need XAMPP or WAMP on Windows

WordPress needs PHP and MySQL to run. Windows does not include either by default, so tools like XAMPP or WAMP bundle Apache (web server), MySQL/MariaDB, and PHP into one easy installer.

Once installed, your Windows machine can run WordPress locally — perfect for learning, testing plugins, or building a site before moving it to a live server.

Real-life example: XAMPP is like a portable generator, water tank, and workshop all bundled into one box — everything WordPress needs to “power on” at home, without connecting to the internet.

Step-by-step: install XAMPP and start services

Download XAMPP from apachefriends.org, run the installer, and accept the default components (Apache, MySQL, PHP, phpMyAdmin). Once installed, open the XAMPP Control Panel.

Click Start next to both Apache and MySQL. Green “Running” status on both means your local server is live.

• Install XAMPP with Apache + MySQL + PHP + phpMyAdmin selected
• Start Apache and MySQL from the Control Panel
• Extract WordPress into C:\xampp\htdocs\mywpsite
• Open http://localhost/phpmyadmin to create your database

C:\xampp\htdocs\
  mywpsite\        <-- extract WordPress zip contents here
    wp-admin\
    wp-includes\
    wp-content\
    wp-config-sample.php

Create the database and run the install

In phpMyAdmin, click Databases, type a name like mywpsite_db, choose utf8mb4_unicode_ci collation, and click Create.

Now visit http://localhost/mywpsite in your browser. WordPress detects there is no wp-config.php and walks you through the famous 5-minute install: enter the database name, username (root), password (usually blank on XAMPP by default), and host (localhost).

Real-life example: Creating the database first is like preparing an empty notebook before you start writing — WordPress needs somewhere to save every post and setting you create.