XAMPP

Name: XAMPP
Availability: InStock
Author: Apache Friends

XAMPP is a free local web server package that bundles Apache, MariaDB (MySQL), PHP, and Perl into a single installer. It turns your Windows, macOS, or Linux computer into a web development environment where you can build and test websites, run WordPress, and work with databases without renting external hosting.

What it does

The XAMPP Control Panel is the central hub. You click Start next to Apache and your computer begins serving web pages at http://localhost/. Click Start next to MySQL and you get a running database server accessible through phpMyAdmin in your browser. Place your PHP files in the htdocs folder, open them in a browser, and they execute as if they were on a real web server. The entire setup takes minutes.

For WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal development, you create a database in phpMyAdmin, drop the CMS files into htdocs, and run the installer through your browser. Everything stays local on your machine. The PHP configuration lives in php.ini, where you adjust settings like upload size limits, memory allocation, and error reporting. Virtual hosts let you run multiple separate websites on one XAMPP installation by pointing different domain names to different folders.

XAMPP also includes Mercury Mail for testing email functionality, FileZilla FTP Server for file transfer testing, Tomcat for Java applications, and a simple Perl installation. The error logs accessible from the control panel help you diagnose PHP errors and Apache configuration problems without digging through folders manually.

Advantages

One click installation of a complete Apache, MySQL, and PHP stack
phpMyAdmin included for visual database management
Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux with the same interface
Perfect for learning PHP and testing CMS installations locally

Drawbacks

Not intended for production use, default security settings are intentionally relaxed
Running Apache on port 80 conflicts with Skype, IIS, and other software using that port
The bundled components can fall behind the latest PHP and MariaDB releases
No built in support for Nginx, which many modern deployments use instead of Apache

Who it is for

I recommend XAMPP to anyone learning PHP or web development who needs a local server without the complexity of configuring Apache and MySQL separately. If you are building a WordPress site and want to develop it offline before uploading to a live host, XAMPP gives you that environment in minutes. For experienced developers who need containerized or production equivalent setups, Docker or Laravel Valet are more appropriate tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is XAMPP free?

Yes. XAMPP is completely free and open source, maintained by Apache Friends. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Can I run WordPress on XAMPP?

Yes. Create a database in phpMyAdmin, download WordPress into the htdocs folder, and open localhost in your browser to run the WordPress installer. The entire site runs locally on your machine.

Is XAMPP safe for production servers?

No. XAMPP's default configuration is intentionally relaxed for development convenience. It ships without passwords on the database and with directory listing enabled. For live websites, use a properly configured server stack.

What do I do if Apache won't start in XAMPP?

The most common cause is another program (often Skype, IIS, or World Wide Web Publishing Service) using port 80. Either stop that program or change Apache's port in httpd.conf to 8080.

Features & How-To Guide

#	Feature	How to use
1	Local web server execution	Launch XAMPP Control Panel › Click Start next to Apache › Server runs at http://localhost/ › Place files in htdocs.
2	MySQL database management	XAMPP Control Panel › Start next to MySQL › Open browser › http://localhost/phpmyadmin/ › Create databases and tables.
3	Program installation on Linux	Download WordPress › Extract to xampp/htdocs/wordpress/ › Create database in phpMyAdmin › Open localhost/wordpress/ › Installation wizard.
4	PHP configuration	Edit the file xampp/php/php.ini › Change upload_max_filesize and memory_limit › Restart Apache in the control panel.
5	Server log browsing	XAMPP Control Panel › Click Logs next to Apache › Opens access.log and error.log › Diagnose PHP and Apache errors.
6	Multiple sites on one server (Virtual Hosts)	Edit xampp/apache/conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf › Add a VirtualHost block with ServerName and DocumentRoot › Add an entry in the hosts file.
7	Change Apache port number	XAMPP Control Panel › Apache › Config › Httpd.conf › Change Listen 80 na inny port (np. 8080) › Restart Apache.
8	SSL certificate management	XAMPP Control Panel › Apache › Config › SSL › file httpd-ssl.conf › Configure an SSL certificate for testing HTTPS locally.
9	Email sending test Mercury	XAMPP Control Panel › Start next to Mercury › Configures a local SMTP server › PHP mail() sends emails through Mercury.
10	Perl script execution	Place the .pl script in xampp/cgi-bin/ › Open http://localhost/cgi-bin/script.pl › Apache runs Perl through CGI.