Local by Flywheel is a fantastic tool for local WordPress development, and the best part is that it now provides a native .rpm package for Linux users. Here’s how you can quickly get it installed and running on Fedora.

Step 1: Download the RPM Package

The Local team offers a prebuilt .rpm package for Linux users.

Visit the Local by Flywheel Releases page to download the latest .rpm package for Fedora Linux. This ensures you always have the most up-to-date version.

Step 2: Install the RPM Package

Once the download is complete, open your terminal, navigate to the folder where the file is located, and install it using dnf:

sudo dnf install ./local-x.x.x-linux.rpm

Replace local-x.x.x.rpm with the actual file name you downloaded.

Step 3: Launch Local by Flywheel

After the installation is complete, Local by Flywheel may not launch directly using the local command due to conflicts with the default system behavior. To resolve this, you can create an alias for local in your shell configuration.

1. Locate the Installed Binary:
   Use the which command to find the path of the Local binary:

   which local
   

   The output will typically show something like /usr/bin/local.

2. Create an Alias: To ensure the local command launches LocalWP, create an alias. Add the following line to your ~/.bashrc file:

    echo 'alias local="/usr/bin/local"' >> ~/.bashrc
   

3. Reload Your Shell Configuration: Apply the changes by reloading your shell configuration:

    source ~/.bashrc
   

4. Launch Local by Flywheel: After creating the alias, you can now use the local command to start LocalWP from the terminal:

    local
   

Step 4: Common Troubleshooting

Missing Dependencies: If Local doesn’t start, you may need to install a few missing dependencies.

sudo dnf update

Permissions Make sure you’re running Local as a standard user, not as root. Running it as root can cause issues with file permissions.

Step 5: Fixing Common Errors

If you encounter the following error while starting a site:

Uh-oh! Unable to start site.
Error: Command failed: ... Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket ...

This happens because of a missing dependency. To resolve this issue, install the libxcrypt-compat package:

sudo dnf install libxcrypt-compat

After installing the dependency, try starting your site again.

Step 6: Fixing “Open Site Shell” Issue

On Linux, Local by Flywheel uses gnome-terminal to execute the “Open Site Shell” command. If this feature does not work, it is likely because the gnome-terminal package is not installed.

1. Install gnome-terminal:
   Run the following command to install the required terminal emulator:

   sudo dnf install gnome-terminal
   

   After installing gnome-terminal, try using the “Open Site Shell” feature in Local again. It should now function correctly.

Step 7: Start Developing!

Once Local is up and running, you can create new WordPress sites, import existing ones, or configure your environment to your liking. Local offers features like faster site creation, SSL support, and advanced tools for developers.

Conclusion

Installing Local by Flywheel on Fedora is now easier than ever, thanks to the native .rpm package. With just a few simple steps, you can enjoy one of the best local WordPress development tools available.

For more information and updates, visit the official Local by Flywheel website.

Happy developing! 🚀