How to Run WordPress Studio on Ubuntu

Posted on by madmin

WordPress Studio, developed by Automattic, is a powerful open-source tool for managing local WordPress development environments. While pre-built binaries exist for macOS and Windows, Linux users must build the app from source. This guide walks you through setting up and running Studio on Ubuntu, including resolving common issues I encountered.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure your Ubuntu system is ready with the necessary tools. Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and follow these steps.

Step 1: Update Your System

Keep your package lists and software up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Git

Git is required to clone the Studio repository. Install it if you haven’t already:

sudo apt install git -y

Step 3: Install Node Version Manager (nvm)

Studio is built using Node.js, and nvm helps manage the specific Node.js version required. Install nvm with:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash

After installation, reload your shell configuration to make nvm available:

source ~/.bashrc

Verify nvm is installed:

nvm --version

You should see a version number (e.g., 0.39.7). If not, close and reopen your terminal, then try again.

Step 4: Install Build Dependencies

Studio uses Electron, which requires certain libraries. Install them:

sudo apt install libgtk-3-0 libnss3 libnspr4 libxss1 libasound2 build-essential -y

Building and Running Studio

Now, let’s clone the repository, build the app, and run it.

Step 5: Clone the Studio Repository

Clone the Studio source code from GitHub into a folder (e.g., ~/studio):

git clone https://github.com/automattic/studio.git ~/studio

Navigate to the folder:

cd ~/studio

Step 6: Install Node.js and Dependencies

The repository includes a .nvmrc file specifying the required Node.js version. Install and use it:

nvm install
nvm use

Install the project’s dependencies:

npm install

If npm reports vulnerabilities, fix them:

npm audit fix

Step 7: Build the App

Run the build script to createexecutable:

npm run package

This generates an out folder containing the app (e.g., out/Studio-linux-x64).

Step 8: Fix Sandbox Permissions

Electron apps use a chrome-sandbox binary for security, which requires specific permissions. If you try running the app now, you might see an error like:

The SUID sandbox helper binary was found, but is not configured correctly.

To fix this, navigate to the output folder:

cd ~/studio/out/Studio-linux-x64

Set the correct ownership and permissions for chrome-sandbox:

sudo chown root:root chrome-sandbox
sudo chmod 4755 chrome-sandbox

Verify the permissions:

ls -l chrome-sandbox

You should see -rwsr-xr-x (the s indicates the SUID bit is set).

Step 9: Run the App

Make the executable runnable:

chmod +x studio

Launch Studio:

./studio

The app should now start, allowing you to manage local WordPress sites.

Optional: Create a Desktop Shortcut

To launch Studio from your Ubuntu app menu (e.g., GNOME), create a desktop file:

nano ~/.local/share/applications/studio.desktop

Paste the following, replacing /home/yourusername/studio with the actual path to your repo (find it with pwd in the ~/studio folder):

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Studio By WordPress.com
Comment=Local WordPress development app
Exec=/home/yourusername/studio/out/Studio-linux-x64/studio %U
Icon=/home/yourusername/studio/assets/studio-app-icon.png
Type=Application
Terminal=false
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/wpcom-local-dev;
Categories=Development;

Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X in nano). Make the file executable:

chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/studio.desktop

Log out and back in, or run:

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications/

Search for “Studio” in your app menu to launch it.

Troubleshooting

  • Sandbox error persists: If the app still complains about chrome-sandbox, try running it without sandboxing (less secure, use temporarily):./studio --no-sandbox Update the desktop file’s Exec line to include --no-sandbox if needed, but aim to fix the sandbox issue.
  • Build fails: Ensure all dependencies are installed. Re-run npm install and npm run package. Check for errors in the terminal output.
  • App doesn’t launch: Verify all libraries are installed (libgtk-3-0, etc.). Check the GitHub issues page (https://github.com/automattic/studio/issues) for similar problems.
  • Updates: To update Studio, pull the latest changes (git pull in ~/studio), then rebuild (npm install && npm run package).

Conclusion

Building WordPress Studio on Ubuntu is straightforward once you set up the environment and handle the sandbox permissions. This process lets you use a powerful tool for local WordPress development, even without official Linux binaries. For further help, consult the project’s GitHub repository or community discussions.