Getting Started with WapPress

To use WapPress, you need a WordPress installation running on your local machine. This serves as your development environment where you build and manage your content before deploying it as a static site.

We recommend using one of the following tools to run WordPress locally. Both are free, beginner-friendly, and require minimal configuration:

1. 1 Download and install LocalWP or Laragon from their official websites.
2. 2 Create a new local WordPress site (in LocalWP, click the "+" button and follow the prompts).
3. 3 Open your local WordPress site in the browser and log in to the wp-admin dashboard.

WapPress deploys your static site to Cloudflare Workers, a global edge network with 300+ data centers worldwide. You'll need a free Cloudflare account to get started.

1. 1 Go to dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up and create a free account.
2. 2 Verify your email address by clicking the confirmation link sent to your inbox.
3. 3 Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard. You'll return here later to configure your domain.

WapPress is available as a free plugin on the WordPress.org Plugin Directory. Install it directly from your WordPress dashboard.

1. 1 In your WordPress admin dashboard, navigate to Plugins → Add New.
2. 2 Search for "WapPress" in the search bar.
3. 3 Click "Install Now" on the WapPress Exporter plugin, then click "Activate".

After activating WapPress, a setup wizard will guide you through connecting your Cloudflare account and configuring the deployment settings.

1. 1 After activation, you'll be automatically redirected to the WapPress Setup Wizard. If not, navigate to WapPress in the left sidebar menu.
2. 2 Click "Start Setup" to begin the configuration process.
3. 3 Enter your Cloudflare API Token. The wizard will walk you through creating a token with the required permissions if you don't have one yet.
4. 4 Select your Cloudflare Account and configure deploy settings (project name, etc.).
5. 5 Complete the wizard, you will be redirected to the WapPress dashboard. Hit "Push" to deploy your site for the first time!

To use a custom domain with your static site, you need to add it to Cloudflare. This step registers your domain on Cloudflare's network.

1. 1 Log in to your Cloudflare Dashboard.
2. 2 Click "Add a site" and enter your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com).
3. 3 Select the Free plan and click "Continue".
4. 4 Cloudflare will scan your existing DNS records. Review and confirm them, then click "Continue".

To activate Cloudflare for your domain, you need to update the nameservers at your domain registrar (the service where you purchased your domain, e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc.).

1. 1 Copy the two Cloudflare nameservers shown in your Cloudflare dashboard (they look like ns1.cloudflare.com).
2. 2 Log in to your domain registrar (where you bought your domain).
3. 3 Find the Nameservers or DNS settings section for your domain.
4. 4 Replace the existing nameservers with the two Cloudflare nameservers and save the changes.

Once your domain is active on Cloudflare, the final step is to connect it to your WapPress deployment so your static site is accessible via your own custom domain.

1. 1 Go to your WordPress admin dashboard and open the WapPress panel.
2. 2 Navigate to the "Custom Domain" section or click the custom domain option.
3. 3 Enter your custom domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) and click "Save".
4. 4 WapPress will automatically configure the necessary DNS records in Cloudflare for your domain.
5. 5 Visit your domain in the browser — your static WordPress site is now live on the edge! 🚀