Conceptual illustration of terminal commands reaching a local development site. This is not a Local interface screenshot. Illustration: MacDigest.
Local 10.2.0 brings localwp to the stable release, giving Mac WordPress developers a terminal interface for starting, stopping and creating sites, plus running WP-CLI commands. The October 15 release follows the October 5 beta; the current downloads include separate Apple silicon and Intel Mac builds.
Enable the terminal connection
The CLI starts disabled. In Local, open Preferences → Advanced, turn on “Install Local CLI,” then click Apply. Open a fresh terminal afterward. The CLI guide documents localwp help for discovery and localwp [command] --help for individual commands.
Local’s installation requirements list macOS Monterey 12 or later, at least 4 GB of RAM and 1.5 GB of disk space. Larger sites and additional service versions need more storage.
Inventory first, then act
Start with localwp list --json for a machine-readable site inventory. The info command also accepts --json; both commands offer --full. These give a script a structured starting point before it selects a site.
For a developer juggling several client projects, that suggests a practical sequence: inspect the inventory, confirm the intended site, then perform the next task. Keep inspection and changes as separate steps while building a workflow. A readable record of the selected target is more useful than a script that silently assumes yesterday’s project is still active.
Local documents localwp start [sitename] for one site and localwp start --all or localwp stop --all for every site. The cli command passes work to WP-CLI; localwp new [sitename] creates a site.
Keep the app and approval step in mind
Local must be running for full CLI functionality. localwp tries to launch the app if it is closed. The CLI’s new-site command requires approval through an authentication pop-up, according to the guide. Installed CLI updates arrive with Local updates.
For automation, plan around a desktop session and the documented creation prompt. Do not assume that every command which changes a site will pause for approval. Review the target and requested operation before handing terminal access to a coding agent, and try repeatable workflows on a disposable development site first.
MacDigest has not installed or independently tested this release.
