What is XAM4PP?
XAMPP is an abbreviation where X stands for Cross-Platform, A stands for
Apache, M stands for MYSQL, and Ps stand for PHP and Perl, respectively. It
is an open-source package of web solutions that includes Apache distribution
for many servers and command-line executables along with modules such as Apache
server, MariaDB, PHP, and Perl.
Installing XAMPP
Our XAMPP tutorial will take you through the installation
process for the software package on Windows. If you’re using Linux or Mac OS X,
then the steps listed below for the installation process may differ.
Step 1: Download
XAMPP is a release made available by the non-profit
project Apache Friends. Versions with PHP 5.5, 5.6, or 7 are available for
download on the website.
Step 2: Run the .exe file
Once the software bundle has been downloaded, you can
start the installation by double-clicking on the file with the ending .exe.
Step 3: Deactivate any antivirus software
Since an active antivirus program can negatively affect
the installation process, it’s recommended to temporarily pause any antivirus
software until all XAMPP components have successfully been installed.
Step 4: Deactivate UAC
User Account Control (UAC) can
interfere with the XAMPP installation because it limits writing access to the
C: drive, so we recommend you deactivate this too for the duration of the
installation process. To find out how to turn off your UAC.
Step 5: Start the setup wizard
After you’ve opened the .exe file
(after deactivating your antivirus program(s) and taking note of the User
Account Control, the start screen of the XAMPP setup wizard should appear
automatically. Click on ‘Next’ to configure the installation settings.
Step 6: Choose software components
Under ‘Select Components’, you have the option to exclude
individual components of the XAMPP software bundle from the installation. But
for a full local test server, we recommend you install using the standard setup
and all available components. After making your choice, click ‘Next’.
In the dialog window entitled 'select components', you can choose the software components before installation.
In
the dialog window entitled 'select components, you can choose the software
components before installation
Step 7: Choose the installation directory
In this next step, you have the chance to choose where
you’d like the XAMPP software packet to be installed. If you opt for the
standard setup, then a folder with the name XAMPP will be created under C:\ for
you. After you’ve chosen a location, click ‘Next’.
Once all the aforementioned preferences have been decided,
click to start the installation. The setup wizard will unpack and install the
selected components and save them to the designated directory. This process can
take several minutes in total. You can follow the progress of this installation
by keeping an eye on the green loading bar in the middle of the screen.
According to the default settings, the selected software components are unpacked and installed in the target folder.
Step 9: Windows Firewall blocking
Your Firewall may interrupt the installation process to
block some components of the XAMPP. Use the corresponding check box to
enable communication between the Apache server and your private network or work
network. Remember that making your XAMPP server available for public networks
isn’t recommended.
Step 10: Complete the installation
Once all the components are unpacked and installed, you
can close the setup wizard by clicking on ‘Finish’. Click to tick the
corresponding check box and open the XAMPP Control Panel once the installation
process is finished.
The XAMPP Control Panel
Controls for the individual components of your test server
can be reached through the XAMPP Control Panel. The clear user interface logs all actions and allows you to
start or stop individual modules with a single. The XAMPP Control Panel also
offers you various other buttons, including:
●
Config: allows
you to configure the XAMPP as well as the individual components
●
Netstat: shows all running processes on the local computer
●
Shell: opens
a UNIX shell
●
Explorer: opens the XAMPP folder in Windows Explorer
●
Services: shows all services currently running in the background
●
Help: offers links to user forums
●
Quit: closes the XAMPP Control Panel
In the Control Panel, you can
start and stop individual modules.
Starting modules
Individual modules can be started or stopped on the XAMPP
Control Panel through the corresponding buttons under ‘Actions’. You can see
which modules have been started because their names are highlighted green under
the ‘Module’ title.
An
active module is marked in green in the Control Panel
If a module can’t be started as a result of an error,
you’ll be informed of this straight away in red font. A detailed error report can help you
identify the cause of the issue.
If a module can’t be started as a result of an error,
you’ll be informed of this straight away in red font. A detailed error report can help you
identify the cause of the issue.
Setting up XAMPP
A common source of error connected with Apache is blocked ports. If you’re using the
standard setup, then XAMPP will assign the webserver to main port 80 and SSL port 443. The latter of these particularly is often blocked by other
programs. In the example above, it’s likely that the Tomcat port is being
blocked, meaning the web server can’t be started. There are three ways to solve
this issue:
● Change the conflicting port: Let’s assume for the sake of example that the instant
messenger program Skype is blocking SSL port 443 (this is a common problem).
One way to deal with this issue is to change Skype’s port settings. To do this,
open the program and navigate via ‘Actions’, ‘Options’, and ‘Advanced’, until
you reach the ‘Connections’ menu. You should find a box checked to allow Skype
access to ports 80 and 443. Deselect this checkbox now.
● Change the XAMPP module port settings: Click the Config button for the module in question and
open the files httpd.conf and httpd-ssl.conf. Replace port number 80
in httpd.conf and port
number 443 in httpd-ssl.conf with
any free ports, before saving the file data. Now click on the general Config
button on the right-hand side and select ‘Services and Ports Settings’.
Customize the ports for the module server to reflect the changes in the conf files.
● End the conflicting program: The simplest way to avoid port conflicts in the short term
is to end the conflicting program (Skype in this case). If you restart Skype
after your XAMPP module servers are already running, it will select a different
port and your issue will be resolved.
Modules that can’t be started will
be shown in red. The user will also receive an error report to help solve the
problem.
Module administration
You have an ‘Admin’ option located on the Control Panel
for every module in your XAMPP.
●
Click
on the Admin button of your Apache server to go to the web address of your web
server. The Control Panel will now start in your standard browser, and you’ll
be led to the dashboard of your
XAMPP’s local host. The dashboard features numerous links to websites for
useful information as well as the open source project BitNami,
which offers you many different applications for your XAMPP, like WordPress or
other content management systems. Alternatively, you can reach the dashboard
through localhost/dashboard/.
By clicking on the 'admin' button
of the Apache module, the user will be redirected to the local dashboard of
XAMPP.
●
Alternatively,
you can reach the administration section of your MySQL database via local host /phpmyadmin/.
.jpg)
