Disposable by design
Create an environment for a task. Reset it, snapshot it or destroy it when the work is done.
Free, self-hosted WordPress sandbox and lab
Your WordPress dev lab.
Your server.
Your rules.
Turn a fresh Debian or Ubuntu server into your own remotely accessible WordPress sandbox and development lab. Create disposable, isolated environments without a hosted control plane, per-site subscription or lock-in.
$
curl -fsSL https://spawnwp.com/install.sh | sudo bash
A lab without the sandbox tax
Cloud WordPress sandboxes are useful — until the limits, expirations and recurring costs start getting in the way. SpawnWP runs the sandbox on infrastructure you control.
No monthly sandbox tax. No artificial limits. No lock-in.See it in action
A real site, spawned in front of the camera.
One take inside the cockpit: from an empty form to a working WordPress. Real progress, honest speed labels — nothing staged.
Explore by intent
Start with the problem, not the product vocabulary.
Category
Self-hosted WordPress sandbox
Understand isolation, lifetimes, remote access, requirements and boundaries.
Explore the sandbox → ComparisonsCloud, desktop or self-hosted
Compare InstaWP, Local and TasteWP with clear trade-offs and dated sources.
See alternatives → WorkflowPlugin development and testing
Use WordPress.org QA tools, static analysis, runtime inspection and multiple PHP versions.
See the workflow →Self-hosted first
Run on your own Debian or Ubuntu server without a hosted control plane or SaaS dependency.
Simple operations
Use the web cockpit for routine work and clear logs when you need to inspect the system.
A short path to a clean lab
From a fresh server to WordPress environments.
- 1
Point two hostnames
One hostname serves WordPress sites; the other keeps the authenticated cockpit separate.
- 2
Run one guided installer
SpawnWP configures Docker, Nginx, TLS and the cockpit on supported Debian and Ubuntu systems.
- 3
Spawn and discard
Create isolated sites from the cockpit, work on infrastructure you control, and remove them without keeping fragile shared state.
Built for development work
Everything needed for a focused WordPress lab.
Isolated stacks
Each environment gets its own Nginx, PHP-FPM, MariaDB, Mailpit and Adminer containers.
Web cockpit
Create, start, stop, restart, snapshot, restore and destroy environments from one focused interface.
Built-in file browser
Browse, edit, upload and download each site's files from the cockpit — scoped to that site's container, with a Passkey confirmation before any change.
WordPress QA
The development blueprint includes Plugin Check, Theme Check, PHPCS, PHPStan and Query Monitor.
Multiple PHP versions
Select a supported PHP runtime when creating an environment and keep project requirements explicit. Follow the compatibility workflow →
No SaaS lock-in
The runtime lives on your server and the project is distributed under the MIT License.
Cockpit or terminal
Everything is scriptable.
The cockpit covers day-to-day work, but nothing hides behind it. The spawnwp CLI handles the platform (updates, rollback, auth reset, telemetry), and every site ships a Makefile with targets for WP-CLI, Composer, npm, snapshots and restore, Xdebug and PHP switching.
Optional WordPress plugin
Need to move a finished site out of your lab?
Use any backup, migration or publishing workflow you prefer. If the destination is a separate, fresh WordPress installation, the optional SpawnWP Deploy plugin can transfer the site once for you. The plugin is not required to use SpawnWP.
See the optional WordPress plugin →Get started
Bring a fresh server. Spawn everything else.
Supported on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04/26.04 and Debian 12/13, on amd64 or arm64. Review requirements and DNS setup before running the installer.
$
curl -fsSL https://spawnwp.com/install.sh | sudo bash