Title: developing in test environment
Last modified: August 18, 2016

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# developing in test environment

 *  [run4it](https://wordpress.org/support/users/run4it/)
 * (@run4it)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/)
 * I wanted to give WordPress a try and will need to host with an outside provider.
   To test its functionality, I thought I’d open a new free account at wordpress.
   com. How do new accounts develop their blog without it being live? In other words,
   is there a test environment in which to build it before it goes to production?

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

 *  [vavroom](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vavroom/)
 * (@vavroom)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448622)
 * Google “Xampp” from Apache Friends. Then do a site search here for XAMPP, there’s
   tons of information on that, how to install, how to use.
 * You’ll have to download WP and install it locally, wordpress.com won’t help with
   working locally.
 * Once you discover the power of xampp, you quickly get addicted 😉
 *  Thread Starter [run4it](https://wordpress.org/support/users/run4it/)
 * (@run4it)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448630)
 * I forgot to write – I am in a Microsoft shop. They will not support .php. I have
   the use of IIS and SQL server.
 *  [Chris_K](https://wordpress.org/support/users/handysolo/)
 * (@handysolo)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448631)
 * Xampp will run just fine on a windows box. Honest. That tutorial I already gave
   you in the other thread is all about installing it on windows.
 * Side note: You probably won’t ever be running WP against SQL Server.
 *  Moderator [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/)
 * (@otto42)
 * WordPress.org Admin
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448660)
 * > I forgot to write – I am in a Microsoft shop. They will not support .php. I
   > have the use of IIS and SQL server.
 * If that’s absolute, then I suggest you forget about WordPress entirely. It’s 
   written in PHP, and expects you to use MySQL. It also prefers Apache, although
   will work (badly) with IIS.
 * Also, using WordPress.com is not the same thing as running your own WordPress
   instance on your own server. WordPress.com is a blog system in much the same 
   way as livejournal or blogger is. You host your blog on their servers, not yours.
   The WordPress.org package here is the code to run on your own server somewhere.
   The two are only vaguely related.
 *  [designpastor](https://wordpress.org/support/users/designpastor/)
 * (@designpastor)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448677)
 * Run – I could set you up a test server on a domain of mine and allow you work
   out your kinks … the domain i am refering to would be over at refreshingideas
   dot net.
 * designpastor (at) gmail.com if interested .. i dont mind one bit …
 *  [vavroom](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vavroom/)
 * (@vavroom)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448799)
 * FWIW, I run a MS based LAN at home, with IIS, and have XAMPP on a local machine
   there. They play nice together, with just a little TLC. I can even access sites
   on the machine running XAMPP from other machines.
 *  [Michael Bishop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/miklb/)
 * (@miklb)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448801)
 * Just to clarify, a wordpress.com blog is automatically live. There is an option
   in the dashboard there to be visible only to users you choose, which is essence
   a private environment, but not quite the same.
 * You could always get your hosting, and set up a test blog in a subdomain, or 
   sub-directory, to tweak, then migrate to root once it’s set up.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

The topic ‘developing in test environment’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [development](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/development/)

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 7 replies
 * 6 participants
 * Last reply from: [Michael Bishop](https://wordpress.org/support/users/miklb/)
 * Last activity: [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/developing-in-test-environment/#post-448801)
 * Status: not resolved

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