Studio Review – Local WordPress Development Tool by WordPress.com

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WordPress.com has really simplified the local WordPress websites creation process with Studio.

In this complete guide, we will look at some of the top features of the Studio application by WordPress.com and walk you through installing and using it for your local development needs.

What is Studio? – Overview

Studio is a free desktop app that helps developers facilitate their local WordPress development workflow. Built and released by WordPress.com, it integrates well with the hosting account features of WordPress.com, such as creating a live demo URL.

The application is powered by the same technology as WordPress Playground, the WebAssembly-powered PHP binary. Compared with setting up traditional servers, it is quicker and far easier to set up demo WordPress websites and carry on with other local development tasks.

You can download Studio for free from the official website. Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, has also outsourced the tool. You can explore the codebase and follow the development on GitHub here.

The application is currently available for Mac users (both Intel Chip and Apple Silicon chip versions). If you are a Windows user, you can request early access from the landing page.

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Downloading and Installing Studio

You can download the required version of the software for your operating system from their website here.

Open the downloaded file and make sure to drag the Studio application to your Applications folder if you are installing it for Mac.

Start the Studio app, and you will be guided on how to create your first local WordPress website.

Studio Ease of Use

Installing Studio was a breeze. I simply visited the official Studio download page, downloaded the installer for my operating system (macOS Silicon version), and followed the straightforward instructions.

The process took me only a few minutes, and I was able to open the Studio application immediately. It even asked me to move the Studio file in the Applications folder of my Mac.

Once installed, I found the Studio’s user interface clean and intuitive. You are greeted with the Build screen asking you to create your first site.

Give your site name and configure the local path if necessary to get started with a site.

The dashboard provides a clear overview of my sites, and I can easily create, manage, and switch between them. The built-in terminal and file editor are also quite handy, allowing me to work on my projects without having to constantly switch between different applications.

Overall, I found Studio to be a very user-friendly tool. It streamlines the local WordPress development process, making it easier for me to create and manage my sites.

Studio Features

Studio by WordPress.com truly offers a compelling toolkit to streamline the local development process and is primarily targeted at WordPress developers or website builders.

Let’s explore some of the key features that make Studio a unique and valuable addition to developers’ workflows.

Easy WordPress Website Creations

Studio removes the complexities of setting up new local WordPress environments. With just a few clicks, you can spin up as many local WordPress sites as you need for your projects.

Once installed, the intuitive sidebar of the Studio application provides a clear overview of all your local sites. Easily start, stop, rename, and customize your WordPress site settings directly from this centralized hub.

Need to share a work-in-progress site for a quick client demo or to gather feedback? Studio’s demo site feature bypasses the need for complex tunnels of setting up live URLs.

You can quickly generate shareable snapshots of your local installations on WordPress.com, letting clients and colleagues interact with your local site on a temporary domain.

Settings and Customization

You get easy and direct access to styling and settings for the sites. The “Customize” section offers one-click access to various site settings pages, including:

Block Themes: Site Editor, Styles, Patterns, Navigation, Templates, and Pages

Classic Themes: Customizer, Menus, and Widgets (if supported)

For each site, you can see the crucial details under the “Settings” heading, including site name, local domain, WordPress version, and admin login credentials.

Optimized Workflow

With all its features, Studio’s main goal is to offer an optimised workflow targeted to developers and it tries to deliver that.

The application clearly prioritizes flexibility. You can open and edit your site’s code in your preferred IDE, command-line interface, or file browser, allowing you to seamlessly integrate Studio into your existing development process.

You can also bypass the hassle of remembering passwords with One-click WP Admin. Launch your site’s WordPress admin dashboard directly from Studio with a single click.

Lightweight and Efficient

In its background, Studio leverages the power of WordPress Playground, a WebAssembly-powered PHP binary.

This eliminates the need for dependencies like Docker, NGINX, Apache, or MySQL, resulting in a lighter and more streamlined development experience (see WordPress software requirements here).

Another good aspect of Studio is its speed and efficiency. You can forget about the lengthy installation process and manual server setups. You can get up and running with local WordPress sites incredibly fast with Studio.

Studio Pricing

Studio is currently offered for free, and users don’t need to pay for any premium features.

This could, however, change in the future. While I believe WordPress.com will continue to offer the tool for free, it will have even closer integrations with WordPress.com plans and pricing, which means you will have to have a paid subscription to access those features.

Studio Alternatives

There have been different tools and approaches to help with the local WordPress installation process. 

In terms of desktop applications, the Local by Flywheel / WP engine is probably the leading tool in the local WordPress development space and, hence, the major competitor for Studio by WordPress.com.

Other approaches have also been taken to let users spin up WordPress sites for testing purposes. WordPress Playground itself is an initiative to help users set up WordPress websites for testing purposes.

Studio Review Conclusion

Overall, the ability to rapidly create local sites, customize with a few clicks, and share interactive demos make Studio an invaluable tool, particularly for WordPress developers working within the WordPress.com environment.

I am surprised it took this long for WordPress.com to release something like this focused on developers.

While serious developers needing granular control over every environment aspect might still prefer traditional tools, I believe Studio is a fantastic solution for a vast range of WordPress builders, simplifying local development and promoting rapid iteration.

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