WordPress local sites
One-click create
Detection
What Local still does better
See also
Rig detects existing WordPress folders and can create a new local site in one click from New Project → WordPress.
Needs Homebrew PHP 8.1+ and Docker Desktop. Rig downloads WordPress core, provisions an isolated MySQL container, writes wp-config.php and a per-project php.ini, runs{" "} wp core install, starts php -S with a pretty-permalinks router, and proxies trusted HTTPS at https://{"{slug}"}.localhost. Admin credentials land in the project's local env profile (WP_ADMIN_USER /{" "} WP_ADMIN_PASSWORD) — use Copy admin login in the project inspector.
Existing sites with wp-config.php (or sample + wp-includes) show up as WordPress when you add a folder. Rig-managed installs keep a{" "} .rig/wordpress.json serve command so Start/Stop works without Valet.
Per-site PHP version UI, blueprints, clone/export, and WP Engine hosting funnel tooling are still Local strengths — not Rig v1.
- Laravel, Valet, and PHP
- Managed Postgres and Redis
- Rig vs Local WP
WordPress local sites One-click create New Project MySQL php -S HTTPS admin credentials detection existing WP folders
Related guides
This article is part of the Rig knowledge base at userig.app/docs. Rig is a local-first Mac app that runs, watches, and restarts development processes with unified logs, ports, and a scoped MCP hub for AI coding agents. Your source code stays on your Mac.