Creating a site and being the local host

site,web,net,build,create,host,server,local,apache,joomla

[Trey]

I've enjoyed reading the info about servers, sites, etc., and I agree that Steerpike should write a book.

I want to have a local host on a computer rather than getting hosting for new sites I want to build with Joomla.

I have downloaded the Apache with it's attendant software.
I have downloaded Joomla.
I have domain names to use.
I even have hosted domains I can load a Joomla site into, and I understand that to build a Joomla site I needed to download these other things anyway.

My goals - to have sites with pix, content, blogging, podcasts, video, and possibly forums and community involvement, but not for all sites.

I am not sure how to proceed.
After downloading, then what?

I've only used frontpage myself before, and otherwise had hired designers but would like to go the doityourself way and build my own with Joomla, have the local host server and be more independent.

Any suggestions?

Thank you.

[stef25]

using localhost for development is a good idea. this means you use the server on your own computer. downloading apache is a good start, but id recommend downloading xampp instead.

xampp includes apache as well as mysql (database) which you'll also need. xampp makes installing these two easy.

you can then install joomla on your local pc to use apache and mysql

forget the domain names until your site is ready and you can move it all from localhost to a live server from a hosting company

my suggestion would be to read, read, read

[g1smd]

You can force domain names to resolve by adding them as entries to your HOSTS file. I "host" dev.somesite.site using this method.

The name does not have to be registered with any one. You just force your local machine to work with it, and configure Apache to recognise it.

[jtara]

I want to have a local host on a computer rather than getting hosting for new sites I want to build with Joomla.

I hope that you mean that you want to use a local computer for development, and will move to a host once the sites are developed.

It's a very good idea to do development on a local computer. However, I don't recommend actual deployment on a local computer.

Periodically, we get inquiries about running a web site in-house, "what kind of connection do I need", etc. If you do a search here, a number of older posts will tell you why that is a bad idea.