Custom wp-config.php | Environment-Aware WordPress Setup

This wp-config.php goes beyond the default — it automatically detects the environment (local, staging, production) and adjusts settings accordingly. This ensures consistent, secure, and predictable behavior across all stages of development and deployment.

Key Highlights

🌍 Automatic Environment Detection

• get_environment() inspects the domain ($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']) to decide the environment:
  • Local: matches localhost, 127.0.0.1, .local, .test, .dev, or loc.
  • Staging: matches domains containing staging, bbcdev.be, or starting with dev.
  • Production: default if no other match
• WP-CLI Override: when running via wp-cli, you can pass WP_ENV to manually set the environment.

⚙ Environment-Specific Settings

Each environment defines its debugging level, script handling, and database credentials:

Local

• Full debugging (WP_DEBUG, WP_DEBUG_LOG, WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY all true)
• Script and CSS compression disabled for easier troubleshooting
• Example DB credentials for local dev (root / root)

Staging

• Debugging enabled but not displayed in-browser
• Script compression enabled for performance testing
• Example DB credentials for staging

Production

• All debugging disabled
• Script compression enabled
• Example DB credentials for live site

🔐 Security Keys

• Includes WordPress authentication salts & keys for secure sessions.
• Can be regenerated anytime using the official WordPress secret key generator.

📦 Database Table Prefix

• Set via $table_prefix for potential multi-install databases.

🛠 Additional Custom Constants

• CAPTCHA keys (CAPTCHA_SITE_KEY / CAPTCHA_SECRET_KEY) for spam prevention
• FS_METHOD set to direct — enables file changes without FTP
• DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT set to true — prevents file editing in the WP Admin for security

📂 Path & Bootstrapping

• Defines the absolute path to WordPress (ABSPATH)
• Loads wp-settings.php to initialize WordPress

Why This Setup Works Well

• No manual toggling between dev/staging/production settings — it just works based on domain
• Safer production defaults to avoid accidental debug exposure
• Keeps environment configs centralized in one file
• Easy to adapt for multiple developers and hosting environments