---
title: "Try it on your computer"
description: "Install Éclair locally to try it for free: with XAMPP, MAMP or Laragon in 5 minutes, or with PHP’s built-in server, then put your site online."
url: "https://eclaircms.org/en/installation/local"
lang: "en"
author: "Thierry Gustin"
published: "2026-10-30"
updated: "2026-10-30"
---

# Try it on your computer

> **Key takeaways** — To install Éclair locally, copy the eclair folder into the web folder of a local server such as XAMPP, MAMP or Laragon (for example htdocs/eclair), then open http://localhost/eclair/ and answer the wizard’s 4 questions. Developers can also use PHP’s built-in server with the router from the GitHub repository. To publish the site, just copy the whole folder to your host.

Want to discover Éclair before choosing a host, or prepare your site quietly offline? You can install Éclair locally, on your own computer, in 5 minutes. All you need is a small web server with PHP: XAMPP, MAMP or Laragon if you’re not a developer, or PHP’s built-in server if you are. Your site will then be ready to publish as is.

## Which tool should you use to install Éclair locally?

| Tool | Operating systems | Who is it for? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [XAMPP](https://www.apachefriends.org/) | Windows, macOS, Linux | The most widely used option, free, with Apache and PHP |
| [MAMP](https://www.mamp.info/) | macOS, Windows | Very easy on a Mac, and the free version is enough |
| [Laragon](https://laragon.org/) | Windows | Light and fast, popular with developers |
| PHP’s built-in server | All | Developers comfortable with the terminal |

The first three install Apache and PHP in a few clicks: that’s exactly the environment of shared hosting, `.htaccess` included. Just check that the PHP version they provide is **8.1 or later**.

## How do you install Éclair locally with XAMPP?

1. Install [XAMPP](https://www.apachefriends.org/), then open the control panel and start **Apache** (MySQL isn’t needed).
2. [Download Éclair](https://eclaircms.org/en/download) and unzip the archive.
3. Copy the `eclair` folder into XAMPP’s web folder: `C:\xampp\htdocs\` on Windows, `/Applications/XAMPP/htdocs/` on a Mac.
4. Open `http://localhost/eclair/` in your browser: the setup wizard starts.
5. Answer the 4 questions, as explained in [the installation guide](https://eclaircms.org/en/installation).

With MAMP, the web folder is also called `htdocs`, and the address depends on the port you chose (for example `http://localhost:8888/eclair/`). With Laragon, drop the folder into `C:\laragon\www\`, then open `http://localhost/eclair/`.

> **An HTTPS warning is normal** — Locally, the site opens over `http://`, so the wizard shows an orange dot next to HTTPS. It doesn’t block anything. Once your site is online, your host will provide a free certificate.

> **Installed in a subfolder? No settings needed** — Éclair detects on its own that it lives in `/eclair/`: links, images and the admin adapt automatically, locally and online.

## What about PHP’s built-in server?

For developers: Éclair’s GitHub repository includes a router that reproduces the `.htaccess` rules for PHP’s built-in server. You’ll need PHP 8.1 or later and Git.

```bash
git clone https://github.com/Jacckisback/eclair-cms.git
cd eclair-cms
PHP_CLI_SERVER_WORKERS=4 php -S localhost:8000 -t eclair tools/router.php
```

Then open `http://localhost:8000`. The `PHP_CLI_SERVER_WORKERS` variable lets the site call itself to verify its address: with a single process, that check simply fails, without affecting anything else. The same repository contains the tests (`php tests/run.php`, 299 checks): everything is explained on [the developer page](https://eclaircms.org/en/documentation/developers).

## How do you put a site you prepared locally online?

Your whole site fits in a single folder: all you have to do is copy it.

1. In the local admin, download a backup to be safe (**Security › Download a backup**).
2. Upload **all** the contents of the `eclair` folder to your host, including the `data` and `media` folders and the hidden `.htaccess` files.
3. Log in to the online admin with the same email and password.
4. In **Settings › General**, replace the local address with the site’s final address (for example `https://your-site.com`).
5. In **Security**, click **Verify the site address**, then clear the cache in **Settings › Advanced**.

Internal links adapt automatically, even if your site moves from a local subfolder to the root of a domain. If you’re hosting with o2switch, follow [the o2switch guide](https://eclaircms.org/en/installation/o2switch) from step 4.

## Questions about local installation

### Do I need to install MySQL to try Éclair locally?

No. Éclair doesn’t need any database: just start Apache in XAMPP, MAMP or Laragon. The MySQL module can stay off.

### Can I install Éclair locally without an internet connection?

Yes, once Éclair is downloaded. Only the AI assistant, IndexNow and sending emails need the internet; everything else works offline.

### Will my local site be visible on Google?

No. A site opened at `http://localhost` is only accessible from your computer. It becomes public once it’s copied to a host.

### The wizard says “Installation locked”: what should I do?

The 2-hour window after the first visit has passed. Delete the `data/install-window.php` file in Éclair’s folder, then reload the page.

[Download Éclair 1.2.0](https://eclaircms.org/en/download)