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Antonio Djigo
Antonio Djigo

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What WordPress Playground means for your future

Wordpress in one click

Meaning, you can have a WordPress site on any device, without the need of a host, with just clicking a single button.

A site you can your work with directly in your browser. Download it as a zip, import it to GitHub, test themes and plugins on the fly... All while being safe.

When you first start using WordPress Playground, you'll be provided with a separate space where you can create and customize your own WordPress website. This space is completely isolated from your actual website.

Playground fun

You and your fellow dev destroying the WP site without consecuences

Web applications like WordPress have long-relied on server technologies to run logic and to store data.

Using those technologies has meant either running an web server connected to the internet or using those technologies in a desktop service or app (sometimes called a "WordPress local environment") that either leans on a virtual server with the technologies installed or the underlying technologies on the current device.

Playground is a novel way to stream server technologies -- and WordPress (and WP-CLI) -- as files that can then run in the browser.

First look at the playground

Part of the configuration of the playground

The WordPress you see when you open Playground in your browser is a WordPress that should function like any WordPress, with a** few limitations**:

  • Network connections are disabled (will limit connections to some third-party services)
  • Volatile, data will disappear once you leave (but you can export it!)
  • It renders in an iframe
  • PHP code and wp-cli commands are ran via Blueprints

So, how can Playground help your projects?

WordCamp EU presentation for WP Playground

WordPress Playground at the WordCamp 2024

At Launch:

Reach your clients or customers faster. Showcase your product, let users try it live, or launch it in the App Store with zero lead time.

  • Embed interactive product demos on websites.
  • Put a native app running WordPress in the App Store.
  • Create new sites from Blueprints and share them with a few clicks.

At QA:

Upgrade your QA process with the ability to review progress in your browser in a single click. When you’re ready, push updates instantly.

  • Live preview pull requests in GitHub.
  • Clone your site and experiment in a private sandbox.
  • Test with different WordPress and PHP versions.

At development:

Create and learn WordPress quickly—even on mobile with no signal. Use Playground where you work best, whether that’s in the browser, Node.js, mobile apps, VS Code, or elsewhere.

  • Install WordPress in a single click.
  • Build a block theme in your browser and save it to GitHub.
  • Integrate with Open AI and CLI apps to create new tools.

So, to summarize:

WordPress Playground allows you to create and customize a WordPress site on any device with a single click, no host needed. This browser-based tool provides a secure, isolated environment to work on your site, download it, or test plugins and themes instantly. While it has some limitations, like disabled network connections and temporary data storage, it offers a fast, flexible solution for showcasing products, enhancing QA processes, and accelerating development. Whether for demos, app integration, or learning, Playground streamlines WordPress management and development directly in your browser.

And you can go a play around at:
https://playground.wordpress.net/

Github: https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-playground
Documentation: https://wordpress.github.io/wordpress-playground/
Contribute: https://wordpress.github.io/wordpress-playground/contributing/index/

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