Run WordPress in your browser
Tab Desktop boots a real WordPress install inside the tab — PHP 8.3 executing the actual WordPress source, with SQLite standing in for MySQL. Install plugins, switch themes, edit functions.php and see the result immediately. Everything runs inside your browser tab on WebAssembly. There is no server executing your code, no container to wait for, and nothing to install.
How it works
WordPress on PHP 8.3 (PHP-WASM) with an SQLite database drop-in and the wp CLI.
What you can do
- A complete WordPress install with wp-admin, not a preview
- Plugins and themes, including page builders such as Elementor
- The wp CLI for scripted setup
- Editing theme and plugin files and reloading straight away
- A disposable environment — reset it and start clean
What it does not do
- SQLite replaces MySQL, so plugins issuing MySQL-specific SQL may misbehave
- Plugins needing outbound calls to hosts that refuse proxying will not reach them
- It is a sandbox for building and testing, not a production host
Start with a preset
One click scaffolds the project in its own isolated desktop and starts the dev server.
Questions
Is this a real WordPress install?
Yes — real PHP executing the real WordPress codebase, with a working admin. The only substitution is SQLite in place of MySQL.
Can I test a plugin or theme in it?
That is what it is best at. You get a clean install in seconds, can install the plugin, break things freely, and reset without touching anything on your machine.
Does my site persist?
It lives in your browser's storage, so it survives a reload on the same device. It is a sandbox, not hosting — export anything you want to keep.