MAMP/WAMP - Which process is yours to alternate between your online websites (URLs, https, ssl) and local developpment (URLs, https,ssl) - https

Question

how is it adviced to alternate between online and local development, since you want to modify your websites on local.
Do you systematically change all URLs (by search/replace) in your project code to fit local URL type and sometimes create personal SSL certificate for https, or do you use another solution like localhost aliases, rewrite rules, or online developpement tools?
What could be an automatic solution in order to avoid this fastidious modifications like search/replace sometimes looking quite primitive and time costing since I develop during the few hours left after my main work.
What are the operation modes to facilitate developpment,
Have a nice day,

Answer 1

for all the biginners, here's the thing.
I've created a config.php file which contains constants: one config file for the local project folder and one for the online server folder.
Inside this config file, I've create a constant (constant are then available everywhere in the project) to define the main URL of the project. e.g.:
define('CST_MAIN_URL',http://www.myproject.com); // for the online config.php file
define('CST_MAIN_URL',http://localhost:8888); // for the local config.php file
Thus, each header or redirection can work with that constant, like:
header('location:' . CST_MAIN_URL . 'index.php');
Then, things must have to do with RewriteEngine in your htaccess file, for instance whenever you must modify the behavior of MAMP/WAMP if an interrogation point or a slash provokes you with its malicious resistance. But, unfortunately RegEx expression must be understood as a basic level for mastering those url rewritings.
Hope it'll helps.