Are you searching for a reliable local server to host your websites? Do you want to test your website locally without going public? Are you a programmer and want to try out some new libraries from the coding side without worrying about security? If yes, then XAMPP is the best solution for you. It’s an integrated package for Windows that provides everything you need to get started with local web development. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about XAMPP on Windows 10.
What is XAMPP?
XAMPP is an acronym for “Cross-Platform Apache, MySQL, and PHP.” It is a free, open-source web development environment that can be installed on your computer. It provides you with a local server where you can test your website offline before publishing online. XAMPP is a great way to get your feet wet with web development by testing your code locally with a fully functional server that you can shut down at any time. If you are a web designer, you may want to test your website designs and functionality in a “live” environment before actually publishing your website. XAMPP can help you do this. You can also use XAMPP to view different website designs on your computer by configuring Apache to show a different website every time you start up the software.
Install XAMPP on Windows 10
You can download the latest version of XAMPP for Windows 10 from the official website. Once you launch the download link, you will be asked to choose the version of XAMPP for Windows 10. The latest version of XAMPP for Windows 10 is XAMPP for Windows 10 (version 5.8.0) . The link to download the latest version is given below. Click on the “Download XAMPP” button to start downloading the installer. Once you download the file, launch the installer to install XAMPP on Windows 10. After the installation is complete, you can access XAMPP from the start menu.
XAMPP for Windows: Features and benefits
XAMPP provides you with a local server environment, where you can host your websites for testing. It also comes with a bunch of other useful tools for local web development like Apache, MySQL, and PHP (WAMP). You can also install additional tools and libraries from the package manager. – Apache Server – It is a web server designed to run on Unix-like operating systems. Apache is the most commonly used web server software on the Internet. It is open source and can run on almost any operating system. – MySQL Database – It is a relational database management system (RDBMS). It is a type of database system which is designed to store, organize, and retrieve large amounts of data efficiently. – PHP – It is a server-side scripting language used for most website creation. It allows users to create “interactive websites that are more dynamic and interactive.” – WAMP Server – WAMP stands for Windows Apache MySQL PHP. WAMP is a combination of software that allows you to run a server on your computer that is similar to what you may use on a server to host your website.
How to use XAMPP for Windows as a local server?
After installing and setting up XAMPP on your Windows 10 machine, you can start using it as a local server. Let us assume you are working on a website named “MyWebSite.” First, you have to open the localhost in your web browser. If you are using Chrome as your browser, press Shift + Ctrl + O. If you are using Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + O. From the drop-down menu, select “Localhost” to open the localhost in your browser. Now, open the folder where you have saved your website files in your computer. Copy the entire folder to “LocalApps” folder in your XAMPP installation folder. Now, start Apache and MySQL services.
Pros and cons of using XAMPP for windows 10
Pros: – Easy to set up: XAMPP is very easy to install and set up on Windows 10. You just have to download and install the software, and you are ready to go. – Runs on Windows 10: XAMPP is suitable for Windows 10 users because it runs on almost all versions of Windows. – Open source: XAMPP is an open source project, which means it is free. Anyone can view the code, modify it and make upgrades to it. – Easy to use: XAMPP comes with an intuitive interface where you can start using it right away. Cons: – Some libraries are not supported: If you are looking to use the latest libraries, you may not find them in the XAMPP package. – Library versions are old: The libraries that come with XAMPP are out of date. You may face issues while trying to install them or while trying to use them. – Limited functionality: Using XAMPP, you can only host your websites on the Windows machine. You can’t publish your websites online. – No online support: If you have any issues while setting up XAMPP, you may have to search for answers online. The XAMPP team doesn’t provide any support for the product.
Final words
In this article, we have discussed what is XAMPP, how to install XAMPP on Windows 10, XAMPP for Windows, features and benefits, pros and cons, and final words. If you are a web designer, you should look into using local servers such as XAMPP to host your websites for testing and development. You can also use XAMPP to view different website designs on your computer.