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Localhost

WordPress Dev Environment

Clone any WordPress site to your Mac in one click.

Localhost pairs a native macOS app with a lightweight WordPress plugin to pull your live sites into isolated Docker containers. Edit locally with full database and file sync, then push changes back when you’re ready — the whole site or a single page at a time. No manual exports, no broken serialized data.

100% free · Native SwiftUI app · Requires Docker Desktop

Localhost
mysite.local Running
PHP 8.3 Apache MySQL 8.0
shop.local Running
PHP 8.1 Nginx MySQL 8.0
staging.local Syncing
PHP 7.4 Apache MySQL 8.0
What is Localhost?

Your production WordPress site, running on your Mac.

Localhost is a native macOS app that clones your live WordPress sites into isolated Docker containers. A companion WordPress plugin handles the heavy lifting — pulling databases, themes, plugins, and uploads over a secure API. Every site gets its own configurable stack: choose your PHP version, web server, and ports. When your changes are ready, push them back — the whole site or a single page at a time — with automatic backups, a production-push guard, and serialized-data-aware URL rewriting.
Features

Everything you need for local WordPress development.

From cloning to pushing changes back, Localhost handles the entire workflow.

Bidirectional Sync

Pull your live site’s database, themes, plugins, and uploads locally. Push back with automatic pre-push backups — batched, compressed transfers keep even big media libraries fast.

Docker Isolation

Each site runs in its own Docker container with dedicated ports for HTTP, HTTPS, and database access. No conflicts between projects, ever.

Configurable Stacks

Choose PHP 7.4 through 8.3, pick Apache or Nginx, and customize ports. Each site gets its own tailored environment.

Secure by Default

HMAC-signed API requests, SHA-256 hashed keys, replay protection with timestamps and nonces, plus configurable rate limiting.

Local SSL/TLS

Auto-generated self-signed certificates give you HTTPS locally, so you can develop and test with the same protocol as production.

Selective Sync

Choose exactly what to sync — themes, plugins, uploads, or database — individually or together. A drift report shows what differs before you sync, and smart URL rewriting handles serialized data.

Single-Item Content Sync

Push or pull one page, post, or custom post type at a time — custom fields and taxonomies included — with per-item status showing which side is newer.

Production Guard & Audit Trail

Pushes to production require typing the site’s hostname to confirm. Every operation is logged with its remote backup ID in a complete sync history.

Built-In WP-CLI

Run any wp command inside a site’s container — quick actions for plugins, themes, users, and caches, with per-site command history. No terminal required.

How it works

From live site to local dev in three steps.

01

Install the Plugin

Add the Metahuman Localhost Sync plugin to your live WordPress site. It creates secure REST API endpoints for the Mac app to connect to.

02

Connect & Clone

Enter your site URL and API key in the Localhost app. It pulls the database, files, and config into a fresh Docker container matched to your production stack.

03

Develop & Push

Make your changes locally with full WordPress admin access. Push everything back — or just the one page you changed. Localhost backs up production and rewrites URLs automatically.
Requirements

What you need to get started.

  • • macOS 14 Sonoma or later (native SwiftUI app)
  • • Docker Desktop installed and running
  • • WordPress 6.0 or later on the remote site (tested up to 6.7)
  • • PHP 7.4 or later on the remote site
  • • Metahuman Localhost Sync plugin installed on the remote site

Ready to ditch manual WordPress migrations?

Start developing locally in minutes. 100% free.