⚡ InstaWP – the best WordPress sandbox?

In this software review article, I will tell you about InstaWP – a testing platform for developing WordPress websites, which is actually much more than that.

I will start with a brief introduction to the topic of software for a local server or a server in general, on which we can develop our WordPress projects.

The need for a “playground” or a development environment is inevitable when it comes to working on any web project. Whether you’re making changes to an existing website or creating a completely new one, a local server is the first item on the list of necessary tools before you start. But there’s a catch… and it’s hidden in the word “local.”

The local server is… local.

As you can guess from the etymology of the word “local,” this server will only work when installed on the machine where it’s set up.

What does this mean? It means that you can only work on the website from one machine, and collaboration would be impossible. Another drawback is that you can’t share your work and progress with a client or colleague (with the exception of Local’s feature called “Live Links,” which, again, only works when your machine is turned on and connected to the internet).

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been using Local by Flywheel for countless years, and it has become my first choice when creating a new project or working on an existing one. However, in the past few months, I came across an interesting new solution, which I will tell you about today.

What is InstaWP?

In one sentence – InstaWP is a lightning-fast solution for creating test WordPress sites, but it is much more than that. Let’s explore all the advantages of this Software as a Service (SaaS).

➡️ Creating a new WordPress installation in a fraction of a second

With InstaWP, creating a brand new WordPress installation happens in under a second (no exaggeration). From the InstaWP website dashboard, simply select the “Add New” button:

Furthermore, you also have access to advanced settings that allow you to:

• Choose a PHP version.
• Select a WordPress version.
• Pick plugins from pre-generated categorized lists.
• Set the default language for the installation.

Additionally, even if you create a new WordPress installation without configuring the PHP version and other PHP parameters, you can do so later from the settings.

➡️ New WordPress Installation from a Template

Similar to blueprints in Local by Flywheel, here you also have the option to create a new installation from a pre-generated template. Why is this useful? Let’s say that every time you start a new WordPress project, you begin with a specific theme, a set of extensions (plugins), a defined configuration of the PHP version, the WordPress core version, and so on.

How does it work in InstaWP? To start, you need to create the template itself. Any existing site can be turned into a template, or you can create a completely new one. Creating a new site using this template is then straightforward:

➡️ Version Control

One of the major advantages of InstaWP over other types of software for WordPress development is the ability to create and restore backups. What do I mean by that? Imagine you want to install and test a new plugin, make custom changes to your theme, or upload a new update for your front-end resources – the scenarios are numerous. Most likely, you’ll want to have a stable copy before making these changes in case something goes wrong. With InstaWP, creating backups and restoring them can be done (again) in seconds:

➡️ Code Editor (IDE)

Another advantage of InstaWP is the fast and easy access to the file system of each installation. With the built-in code editor, you can effortlessly edit any file in the directory:

➡️ Direct Git Deployment

Another very convenient and useful feature of InstaWP is the ability to directly deploy to Git. To take advantage of this option, you first need to create a new repository and link it to the WordPress application in InstaWP:

This is especially useful for larger teams and long-term development projects.

➡️ Domain Mapping

You can use InstaWP as a regular server, not just a testing platform. First, it’s essential to reserve the site because every new WordPress installation in InstaWP has a “lifetime” of 15 days. Reserving a website means you keep its place, and it won’t be automatically deleted if you don’t do so. Then, you need to add a CNAME record through your domain management dashboard (where you purchased the domain).

➡️ Migrating the Entire Site to Another Server and Domain

One of the most interesting and useful features for me in InstaWP is the ability to migrate an entire website in just a few minutes without the need for manual file uploads, database exports, and imports. To achieve this, you need to have the free InstaWP Connect plugin installed:

In Conclusion

After thorough testing of InstaWP and all its features, I can confidently say that the software is truly impressive. It effortlessly and swiftly creates new installations, file work is facilitated by the code editor, Git deployment is seamless, and migrating an already completed product is a matter of minutes.

Stay blond 😉