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WordPress How to Install WordPress on Your Computer How to Install WordPress on Your Computer How to Install DesktopServer on a PC

Jonathan Grieve
MOD
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

Do I need DesktopServer?

I get along just fine with XAMPP for Windows and it appears to me XAMPP is actually bundled in with DS.

Any particular benefits that I'm not getting? :-)

2 Answers

I've found that DesktopServer allows you to spin up WordPress sites much faster than MAMP does; however, I find that I give up a little flexibility (naming my database, for instance) using DesktopServer.

Another cool feature that I like with DesktopServer is its 'bypass login' feature, which lets you bypass the WordPress login and login as any user via a dropdown - super useful.

Nonetheless, I've used DesktopServer for really big WordPress sites without any problems.

Hope this helps!

Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

Yea that does seem useful, bypassing user logins. I'll look and see if XAMPP offers anything similar for local wordpress.

That said, I have easy access to all passwords by storing them using keypass so I don't have to remember them :)

Jason Anders
MOD
Jason Anders
Treehouse Moderator 145,860 Points

Hey Jonathan,

None that I've heard of. I'm on a Mac and only use MAMP. So far it meets my needs. I did look once at DesktopServer and saw no need to create headaches by switching. I'm good without it... but that's just my opinion.

:)

Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

Very much my opinion too. I've just quickly completed the course. I'm glad I did though as I was introduced to the email plugin, I wish I'd found sooner.

I'm almost finished the Wordpress Development track but I'm psyching myself up for lots of headaches and long videos to look at before I do :)