Step 1: Downloading and Installing XAMPP

1. Download XAMPP:
   • Visit the official XAMPP website (https://www.apachefriends.org).
   • Download the Windows version of XAMPP.
2. Run the Installer:
   • Locate the downloaded XAMPP installer file and double-click to run it.
   • If a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, click “Yes” to allow the installation to proceed.
3. Choose Components:
   • In the setup wizard, select the components you need. For a typical WordPress installation, you only need Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin.
   • Click “Next” after selecting the necessary components.
4. Select Installation Folder:
   • Choose the directory where you want to install XAMPP (default is usually C:\xampp).
   • Click “Next” to continue.
5. Begin Installation:
   • Click “Next” to start the installation process.
   • Wait for the installation to complete, which might take a few minutes.
6. Complete Installation:
   • Once the installation is complete, you will see a confirmation screen.
   • Ensure that the “Start the Control Panel now” option is checked and click “Finish”.

Step 2: Starting XAMPP and Testing the Server

1. Open XAMPP Control Panel:
   • The XAMPP Control Panel should open automatically. If not, open it manually from the Start menu or the installation directory.
2. Start Apache and MySQL:
   • In the Control Panel, click the “Start” button next to Apache and MySQL modules. The background of these modules should turn green, indicating they are running.
   • Ensure there are no errors in the logs displayed in the Control Panel.
3. Test the Server:
   • Open a web browser and type http://localhost in the address bar.
   • If XAMPP is installed correctly, you should see the XAMPP dashboard.

Step 3: Downloading and Setting Up WordPress

1. Download WordPress:
   • Visit the official WordPress website (https://wordpress.org).
   • Download the latest version of WordPress.
2. Extract WordPress Files:
   • Extract the downloaded WordPress ZIP file.
   • Copy the extracted WordPress folder.
3. Move WordPress to XAMPP’s htdocs:
   • Navigate to the XAMPP installation directory (e.g., C:\xampp).
   • Open the htdocs folder.
   • Paste the WordPress folder into the htdocs directory. You can rename this folder to something like wordpress for easier access.

Step 4: Creating a MySQL Database for WordPress

1. Open phpMyAdmin:
   • In your web browser, go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin.
   • phpMyAdmin is a web interface for managing MySQL databases.
2. Create a New Database:
   • In phpMyAdmin, click on the “Databases” tab.
   • Enter a name for your new database (e.g., wordpress_db).
   • Click “Create” to set up the database.

Step 5: Configuring and Installing WordPress

1. Open WordPress Setup:
   • In your web browser, navigate to http://localhost/wordpress (or the name of the folder you chose).
   • This will start the WordPress installation process.
2. Select Language:
   • Choose your preferred language and click “Continue”.
3. Database Connection Details:
   • Enter the database name you created in phpMyAdmin (wordpress_db).
   • Use root as the username and leave the password field empty (default XAMPP MySQL setup).
   • Database host should be localhost.
   • Table prefix can be left as wp_ or changed if you prefer.
4. Run the Installation:
   • Click “Submit” and then “Run the installation”.
   • WordPress will now set up the required database tables.
5. Complete the Setup:
   • Enter your site title, username, password, and email address.
   • Click “Install WordPress”.
6. Login to WordPress:
   • Once the installation is complete, you can log in to your WordPress site by going to http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin.
   • Use the username and password you created during the setup.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you will have successfully installed XAMPP and set up WordPress on your Windows 10 machine. This local environment allows you to develop and test your WordPress site before making it live. Enjoy your new development setup and happy coding!

If you encounter any issues during the installation, consult the XAMPP and WordPress documentation for troubleshooting tips or refer to community forums for additional support.