Can I build a WordPress site and then transfer my domain

Sure, just build it on your computer with a local webserver.

If you have a Mac, follow this guide:

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Installing_WordPress_Locally_on_Your_Mac_With_MAMP

If you have a PC, follow this guide:

https://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/xampp/

When you’re ready, follow this guide to move it to the new domain:

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Moving_WordPress#Moving_WordPress_to_a_New_Server

James,

Thanks for the guides. I am traveling this week but will follow the instructions this weekend and see if I can get it to work. I find it a little intimidating. I also need to transfer my WordPress.com to www.ads-software.com – I assume I can do that before I transfer my domain.

Yes, to move from wordpress.com to WordPress, follow these guides:

https://en.support.wordpress.com/moving-a-blog/#moving-to-wordpress-org

https://en.support.wordpress.com/domain-mapping/redirecting-your-blog/

Thanks again James – I will let you know how it goes!

You’re welcome!

James,

Are you out there – I am confused on the Xamp details

// ** MySQL settings – You can get this info from your web host ** //
/** The name of the database for WordPress */
define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘wordpress’);//here I need to make up an name I want to call my database?

/** MySQL database username */
define(‘DB_USER’, ‘root’);//What is my MYSQL username – where would I set that up?

/** MySQL database password */
define(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘password_here’); I put double quotes where it says password_here and then type a password after the //?

/** MySQL hostname */
define(‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’); I leaver this local host and just put // at the end of the string?

Thanks,
Gina

James,

Never mind – I got it to work!!!

Gina

James,

I got it working but now I can’t get back into my blog – I did https://www.mydomainname.com/wp-login.php – but it said – page not found. Is there something else I should be using – what if I got something spelled wrong during the install?

Gina

Can you confirm that the wp-login.php file is in the right place? If you followed the XAMPP installation guide, it should be at localhost/wordpress/wp-login.php

James,

OK – I understand now how to get into WordPress now. I was doing https://www.mydomainname.com/wp-login.php which is what I probably will do once I get it on BlueHost and I needed to do https://localhost/wordpress/wp-login.php as you said above.

Thanks again!
Gina

You’re welcome!

How do I view the website while using the local host on my computer? I want to see what page it opens up with.

https://localhost/wordpress/ isn’t working for you?

That worked thanks- these things are not obvious to me. It opens to my blog page – which I figured it would. How do I force to open to one of my pages instead? I PageMash but of course it only changes the order of the pages not the blog page.

Follow this guide:

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Creating_a_Static_Front_Page