The Best DesktopServer Alternative Solutions for Your Development Workflow
DesktopServer has long been a popular choice for WordPress designers and developers, offering a convenient way to create multiple isolated sites for web design, testing plugins, and general development work. Its ability to personalize projects with fictional domain names and set up virtual servers quickly makes it a valuable tool. However, just like any software, users often seek DesktopServer alternative solutions that might better suit their specific workflow, platform preferences, or feature requirements. Whether you're looking for open-source options, different operating system compatibility, or specialized WordPress tools, there's a robust ecosystem of alternatives available.
Top DesktopServer Alternatives
If you're ready to explore new horizons for your local development environment, these DesktopServer alternatives offer a range of features and benefits to enhance your productivity.
WampServer
WampServer is a Windows web development environment that allows you to create web applications with Apache, PHP, and the MySQL database. It's a Free and Open Source solution, making it a great DesktopServer alternative for Windows users who prefer a comprehensive WAMP stack. It also comes with PHPMyAdmin, offering robust Database Publishing and Web Development features.
Local by Flywheel
Local by Flywheel provides a simple, local development environment with a friendly GUI, making it an excellent DesktopServer alternative, especially for WordPress development. It uses Docker under the hood, similar to Vagrant but requiring less tech experience. It's available as Freemium software and supports Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms, focusing primarily on WordPress features.
WordPress Portable
WordPress Portable is a Free program for Windows that automatically ships with everything needed to run WordPress locally. All you need to do is extract the package, making it a simple and convenient DesktopServer alternative for quick WordPress setups on Windows. It excels in Blogging and Portable WordPress development.
VertrigoServ WAMP
VertrigoServ is a complete Free Personal WAMP server allowing PHP development for Windows. It installs Apache 2.4, PHP, MySQL, and PhpMyAdmin, both installing and setting up the components automatically. This makes it a strong DesktopServer alternative for Windows users focused on PHP and PhpMyAdmin development.
Pressmatic
Pressmatic is a robust local WordPress manager for Mac. All sites are isolated in individual Docker containers, offering a powerful Commercial DesktopServer alternative for Mac users. It features Support for Docker, Nginx, PHP, and WordPress, providing a highly isolated and efficient development environment.
InstantWP
InstantWP is a complete standalone, portable WordPress development environment. It will turn almost any Windows or macOS machine into a WordPress development server. This Free and Open Source DesktopServer alternative supports Mac and Windows, built on MySQL Community Edition, Apache HTTP Server, and PHP, offering a full LAMP stack and WordPress features.
Theme Juice
Theme Juice is a powerful Mac app that creates local WordPress sites with just a click. As a Commercial DesktopServer alternative for Mac, it offers features like Remote deployment, Database migration, a Local server, and PHP support, making it ideal for streamlined WordPress development and deployment workflows.
Wordup
Wordup is an Open Source development toolkit for setting up and managing your local WordPress Theme/Plugin development, allowing you to totally focus on coding. This Free DesktopServer alternative supports Mac, Windows, and Linux, providing essential Developer Tools for PHP and WordPress projects.
The choice of a DesktopServer alternative ultimately depends on your specific operating system, budget, and desired features. Whether you prioritize open-source flexibility, ease of use, or specialized WordPress tools, this list provides a strong starting point to find the perfect fit for your development needs.