If you are a WordPress developer, designer, or even someone casually building a website, you probably understand the importance of having a fast, reliable local development environment. Setting up local servers, configuring databases, and troubleshooting issues can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially for beginners. It is a bit risky as well if you have ever tried experimenting directly on a live site. That is exactly where Studio by WordPress.com shines through, offering a simple, free and powerful solution to build, test and manage WordPress websites locally.
Studio by WordPress.com was introduced to the ecosystem in 2024. Before that, we were familiar with some easy-to-use tools like XAMPP, MAMP, LocalWP (Local by Flywheel), etc. But now that WordPress itself brings its local site for everyone to explore and learn from, why not give it a try? In this blog, we will dive deep into what Studio by WordPress is, how it works, its key features, and why it might just become your new favorite WordPress tool.
What Is Studio by WordPress.com?
Studio by WordPress.com is a native desktop application (available for both Windows and Mac) designed to make local WordPress development easier than ever before. Developed by the Automattic team, the creators behind WordPress.com, Studio combines the best parts of local development: speed, control and flexibility, without the technical headaches.
Unlike traditional setups like XAMPP, MAMP, or even LocalWP, Studio offers a one-click, dependency-free WordPress installation with pre-configured environments and twice the storage space. You do not need to manually install PHP, MySQL or other server components because everything comes built-in and ready for you to develop with ease. And all this will happen without the limitations of a live server environment.
So, with Studio, you can work offline, experiment freely and push your site live, without any further hassle, when it is ready!
10+ Key Features of Studio by WordPress.com
From ease of installation to built-in debugging tools, Studio offers a comprehensive suite of capabilities to streamline your workflow. Here are some of the standout features that make Studio by WordPress.com an essential tool for local WordPress development.
1. Ease of Installation
Studio by WordPress.com is a desktop app (unlike WordPress Playground) that offers a quick installation process to get you up and running efficiently. Unlike traditional methods that require configuring servers, databases, etc, Studio handles all the heavy lifting for you. You can simply download the application, follow the setup wizard, and you are ready to start developing.
2. User-Friendly Interface
The intuitive interface of Studio makes it accessible for users of all skill levels. It is easy to navigate and use for both beginners and experienced developers. The dashboard provides a clear overview of all your sites, and with a few clicks, you can create new projects, manage existing ones, and tweak settings.
3. Pre-configured Environment
Studio comes with a pre-configured environment, primarily using SQLite as its default database for local development. This means you do not have to worry about compatibility issues or manual updates. You can start developing your site with confidence, knowing that your local setup mirrors the live server environment.
4. One-Click Site Creation
Creating a new WordPress site is as simple as clicking a button. Studio’s one-click site creation feature streamlines the process, allowing you to spin up a new site in seconds. It saves hours of setup time and ensures a consistent environment across all projects. This is particularly useful for developers who need to create multiple sites for different projects or clients.
5. Offline Development
One of the biggest advantages of using Studio is the ability to develop sites locally offline. This is perfect for those times when you are traveling, have limited internet access, or simply prefer to work without distractions. Your progress is saved locally, and you can sync your changes when you are back online.
6. Preview Sites
Studio offers a unique feature called Preview Sites, allowing you to share your local projects with anyone over the internet, securely and temporarily. You can generate custom URLs that are accessible from anywhere, without setting up a public server. It helps to get client approvals on designs before going live. Also, you can share work with team members or collaborators. It also helps to test responsiveness across devices without deploying.
You can create up to 10 Preview Sites simultaneously and each now supports up to 2 GB of storage per site. Thanks to the increased storage limit for Preview Sites, you can now use larger themes, high-res media, and richer content when sharing previews, all without worrying about hitting a cap.
7. Studio Sync
Studio Sync is a game-changer for developers who work with live sites. It enables you to sync a local version of your WordPress.com site, allowing you to pull your live site into Studio for local testing. Studio Sync supports synchronizing a production or staging site with your WordPress Studio sites in either direction. This feature is for all WordPress.com sites on the Business or Commerce plan.
You can make changes safely without risking the live environment. You can push updates back to WordPress.com when you are ready. It is a dream come true for agencies, freelancers, and anyone managing multiple sites.
8. Built-In Tools Like AI Assistant
Studio includes a suite of built-in tools to help you debug and test your site. These tools provide insights into your site’s performance, detect issues, and offer solutions. This ensures that your site is not only functional but also optimized for the best user experience.
Studio comes with an AI-powered Studio Assistant that can help you troubleshoot issues, generate sample content, offer development tips, explain WordPress concepts, etc. This AI integration is especially useful for beginners learning WordPress development or advanced users needing quick guidance.
It can run WP-CLI commands inline (without needing it installed locally). It can generate Gutenberg blocks, PHP/JS/CSS code snippets and sample content you can copy/paste into your site. It also helps you troubleshoot, suggest plugins, update WordPress versions, and answer questions within a chat interface.
9. Lightweight And Fast
Unlike bulky development stacks, Studio uses WordPress Playground technology, keeping it lightweight and fast. While WordPress Playground also offers a quick way to experiment with WordPress, it runs entirely in the browser and is more suited for temporary testing or demos. Studio, on the other hand, provides a full-fledged local development environment with persistent projects, advanced customization and better performance for ongoing site building. Even if you are on an older device, Studio performs impressively well without hogging resources.
10. Open-Source And Free
Studio is completely open-source, which means developers can contribute, customize, and trust the platform. And the best part? It is 100% free, with no plans for paid upgrades.
11. Seamless Integration with WordPress.com
When you are ready to go live, Studio integrates seamlessly with WordPress.com, allowing you to deploy your site with ease. This integration simplifies the process of moving your site from a local environment to a live server, ensuring a smooth transition.
How Studio by WordPress.com Works (Under the Hood)
Unlike traditional local WordPress setups that require configuring server stacks like Apache, MySQL, and PHP manually, Studio abstracts away the complexity by bundling a lightweight, optimized development environment specifically for WordPress. Let us see what is happening behind the scenes.
- WordPress installation is automated using modern system packaging. You do not need to manage zip files or MySQL dumps.
- It leverages PHP’s built-in server for running WordPress, meaning there is no need for heavy stacks like XAMPP or MAMP.
- SQLite is used by default instead of MySQL/MariaDB, making it faster to set up and more stable for local development.
- Files are stored in a project folder on your local drive. This folder includes the WordPress core, themes, plugins, and SQLite database.
- When you enable a Preview Site, Studio temporarily deploys your local site to a remote server and serves it via a secure, unique URL. This is powered by WordPress Playground (WASM-based WordPress), which compiles WordPress in the browser or a shareable cloud instance.
The result? You get a fully functional, fast-loading local WordPress site without the bloat or hassle of traditional environments.
Getting started with Studio by WordPress.com is easy and quick. You can visit the Studio by WordPress.com’s website and download the installer for your operating system. Here you will get the detailed walkthrough to get you started without any hassle.
Why Studio Might Just Become Your New Favorite WordPress Tool
Studio feels like a tool made for WordPress developers, by WordPress developers. Here is why developers and designers are loving it:
✅ Instant Start, Zero Configuration: No fiddling with ports, Apache configs, or databases. Studio gets you into the WordPress dashboard in seconds.
✅ Native WordPress Experience: It does not reinvent the wheel. You get a pure WordPress experience with full access to the admin panel, themes, plugins, and more.
✅ Preview Sites are a Game-Changer: Imagine sending a link to a client showing a local site hosted securely, without deploying to a live server. That is now possible with Studio.
✅ Designed for Block Themes & Modern WordPress: Studio embraces Full Site Editing (FSE) and block themes. It encourages you to explore the latest WordPress development techniques, making it future-ready.
✅ Lightweight but Developer-Friendly: While it is designed to be beginner-friendly, you can open up Studio sites in your code editor, run WP-CLI, version with Git, and even connect to GitHub.
✅ WordPress Community Support: Being a part of the WordPress.com ecosystem means you have access to extensive documentation, tutorials and a vibrant community of developers. This support network can help you troubleshoot issues, learn new skills, and stay updated with the latest WordPress developments.
These can be the reasons for choosing Studio over other local site development tools. One of Studio’s greatest strengths is its active and transparent development model.
- Fully open-source, hosted on GitHub: github.com/Automattic/studio.
- Maintained by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce and Jetpack.
- Community members can submit issues, pull requests, or feature suggestions.
- Frequent updates with bug fixes and new features like multi-site support and plugin rollbacks are being discussed and developed openly.
Should You Switch to Studio from LocalWP, MAMP, XAMPP, or DevKinsta?
If you are already using tools like LocalWP, MAMP, XAMPP or DevKinsta for your local WordPress development, you might be wondering if switching to Studio is worth it. Here is a breakdown to help you decide whether Studio can truly streamline your workflow or if you should stick with what you know. So, the question is: Should you switch to Studio from other local sites development tools?
✅ Yes, If You Want:
- A tool focused only on WordPress
- A faster, simpler WordPress local setup
- One-click project creation without complex setup
- Preview sharing without a third-party staging server
- Built-in support for block themes and modern WordPress workflows
❌ Maybe Not Yet, If You Need:
- A containerized Environment: Studio is not containerized, which means no Docker, Podman, or VM setup is used. It runs as a standalone Electron app using a built-in PHP server and SQLite under the hood. So it is simpler and lighter, but does not replace Docker-based workflows.
- Compatibility Testing with Complex Server Configurations: Studio allows you to choose WordPress and PHP versions per-site from WP 5.9+ and PHP 7.4 through 8.4 right at creation or later via settings. However, it does not simulate full server stacks (like custom Apache/Nginx setups or specific PHP modules) as Docker-based environments do.
Final Thoughts: Why You Should Try Studio Today
Studio by WordPress.com makes local WordPress development fast, easy, and efficient without the hassle of configuring servers, databases, or complex tools, and it is still evolving. Its elegant UI, one-click setup, and the innovative Preview Site feature make it ideal for modern WordPress professionals.
Whether you are building your first site or your hundredth, Studio will supercharge your workflow and simplify your development process. Give Studio a spin and see how it transforms your WordPress experience:
Download Studio for free: https://wordpress.com/studio/
Read the docs: https://developer.wordpress.com/docs/
Contribute to the project: https://github.com/Automattic/studio/
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