Installing a local web server on your computer

The first step to preparing a local development environment is to install a local web server on your computer. This will transform your computer into a system capable of running the core WordPress code and performing all tasks related to rendering a WordPress website locally.

Having a local web server has many benefits:

• It provides a quick response to the frequent page refreshes that are made as plugin code is written, tested, and refined, since all information is processed locally.
• It removes the need to constantly upload new plugin file versions to a remote web server to validate code changes.
• It allows development to take place when no internet connection is available (for example, when traveling on an airplane). This is only possible if your plugin code does not interact with external servers.
• It offers a worry-free programming environment where you cannot bring down a live website with a programming error or...