How to properly organize a workspace for the web?

Question

Software testing

Suppose we have a task to develop a site, with its subsequent deployment on a domain and modernization. As everyone knows, work begins with the organization of the desktop.
How do you organize, install, test your work before launching it in production?
Do you create a server for tests on a virtual machine and write code directly on it, or do you deploy all your code there just for tests?