Title: Creating a theme Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # Creating a theme * [complex](https://wordpress.org/support/users/complex/) * (@complex) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/) * So far, I’ve noticed that in order to test the theme I am coding I have to use an external editor (which in my case is TextMate on the Mac) then uploading it to the server and then activating the theme…live…to test. This seems counterintuitive as I don’t want to test the site on a live area. What other ways are there to preview test builds of a theme without having to publish it live. Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 18 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/page/2/?output_format=md) * [dremation](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dremation/) * (@dremation) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436880) * one word: EasyPHP * EDIT..noticed you said you were on a mac..so maybe a few more words. * create a subdomain or a new folder and create a test installation. * [katgirl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/katgirl/) * (@katgirl) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436883) * Or… * you can download another version of WordPress into a directory called, say, test( or some other name as I’m guessing that there’s millions of “test” directories out there already in the black void) and then you can play to your heart’s content. * When I design themes for WordPress, I use my “test” site, not my real website, so a) no one knows what I’m doing and b) any mistakes I make will not be shown on my real website. * You can also use your test site as a theme download center if you want. It’s also handy when writing and testing new plugins and templates or if you’re wanting members to see demos in action. * edit: dremation beat me to it! 🙂 * [vkaryl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vkaryl/) * (@vkaryl) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436885) * *laughing* Yup, Katgirl, I tend to call mine the “litterboxes”…. * [katgirl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/katgirl/) * (@katgirl) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436892) * Out of interest, vkaryl, how many do you run? I run two additional WordPress folders – one is a dedicated testing facility, and the other is a storage and download center of what themes actually work. * Security is a highlight in my mind. “Test” is soooo generic, but I confess it stands out in my list of folders. * That’s not to say that I actually use “test”. Gotta cover my butt! * [vkaryl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vkaryl/) * (@vkaryl) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436893) * Hmmm. Last count, I had 4 “litterboxes”. And another dozen plus blogs, mine and clients. And yeah, security is a big thing, so they aren’t any of them called“ sandbox” or “litterbox”, etc. [Or “test”, or “blog”, or “wp*”….] * [splanters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/splanters/) * (@splanters) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436899) * Complex, * I’m on a Mac and I do all my testing locally on my Mac (usually) – OS X comes with a built in web server (apache) and it’s incredibly easy to get working. PHP isn’t actived by default, but again it’s rather easy to “turn on” * If you don’t have this setup – post here in the form and I’ll make up some instructions( complete with screenshots) to get you up and running so you can test locally * [Doodlebee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/doodlebee/) * (@doodlebee) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436900) * I do mine locally…I’ve downloaded and installed PHP, Apache and MySQL onto my computer. Don’t have to upload anything until the theme is fully completed. Saves a lot of time 🙂 * [vkaryl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vkaryl/) * (@vkaryl) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436901) * I also, using xampp locally. Trouble is, I’ve found that what you do locally does NOT always look the same online. Different server settings…. * So I have a buncha online test-beds too. * [splanters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/splanters/) * (@splanters) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436908) * vkaryl… good idea. I actually, just yesterday ran into an issue with my local environment not matching the online version and caused a minor headache… (I run php5 locally, host is still at 4.x) 🙁 * [vkaryl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vkaryl/) * (@vkaryl) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436909) * A minor one? Lucky you. Mine are generally MAJOR ones *sigh*…. * And yah, one of the biggest headache diffs is php version variance, for why I have NO clue (because I’m not a programmer I guess). * [dannybcastillo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dannybcastillo/) * (@dannybcastillo) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436930) * splanters: Could you post the “how to” on setting up the Mac OS X web server? * Thanks in Advance. * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436932) * [http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPress#Special_Installations](http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPress#Special_Installations) * [dannybcastillo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dannybcastillo/) * (@dannybcastillo) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436935) * Thanks moshu! * [splanters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/splanters/) * (@splanters) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436941) * danny * I’ll work on a Mac environment write up tonight/tomorrow morning and post for you. * [Tee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pumatalk/) * (@pumatalk) * [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/#post-436952) * Dude, * I am struggling trying to get my PSD tempalte into a theme…. I mean my PSD file is all done but it’s honestly not clicking in hwo I can put together with word press…. Im sure if someone could help me out that would be dope… * Thanks, joey Dee Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 18 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Creating a theme’ is closed to new replies. * 18 replies * 9 participants * Last reply from: [dannybcastillo](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dannybcastillo/) * Last activity: [19 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/creating-a-theme-1/page/2/#post-437163) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics