The first step I normally do when creating a new WordPress theme is to make sure my local environment is setup. This includes:
- setting up a local personal server with a package like MAMP (mac users), WAMP (windows users), or LAMP (linux users)
- creating a database for your local WordPress development site
- downloading and installing the WordPress files
Depending on which operating system you are using, the process will be a little different. There are hundreds of written and video tutorials around the web on how to setup a local WordPress development environment, so we are not going to reinvent the wheel and make our own tutorial. Instead we are going to list some resources below to help you get started.