What is a Web Server?

When you access your website from anywhere in the world, it's possible because of a web server that stores your website folder. This server must always be connected to the internet. However, when you're done using your computer and turn it off, disconnecting from the internet, you can't maintain a web server at home. A typical web server is a special computer box with no mouse or keyboard, running software that processes numerous requests simultaneously.

Every time you enter a URL into your web browser, it finds the web server associated with that URL and sends a request asking for a specific webpage. The web server receives this request, processes it, and then sends back the requested webpage as a response to your browser. So, what is a web server?

In simple terms, a web server is a publicly accessible computer that stores a website's folder. This folder contains all the files and interlinked web pages of a WordPress website, such as 'Local' by Flywheel dev mode.

To understand how to install WordPress locally on your computer, you need to first comprehend what a web server is and its importance in the process. A local web server like Apache or Nginx plays a crucial role in letting WordPress communicate with the database and store content in it.

What Do You Need to Install WordPress Locally?

To install WordPress locally on your computer using 'Local' by Flywheel, you'll need to install two essential components:

1. Database server: This allows WordPress to talk to the database and store content.

2. A Local Web Server: Like Apache or Nginx.

By understanding what a web server is and its role in installing WordPress locally, you can now proceed to the installation sections using the table of contents above to learn how to install WordPress on any operating system using 'Local' by Flywheel or on macOS and Windows using MAMP.

Local by flywheel dev mode