XAMPP is a package that allows you to install software and tools that are indispensable for application development all at once.
Maybe some people have seen the word XAMPP but don’t understand its detailed meaning and function.
In this article, XAMPP is easy to understand even for non-engineers, and we will explain the functions, setting methods, advantages, and disadvantages, so please have a look.
table of contents
- 1. What is XAMPP?
- 2. Meaning of XAMPP name
- 3. Benefits of XAMPP
- 4. Disadvantages and precautions of XAMPP
- 5. How to install and use XAMPP
- 6. Let’s develop using convenient XAMPP!
What is XAMPP?
XAMPP is a package that allows you to easily build an application development environment locally, and to install software and useful tools that are indispensable for development all at once for free.
To create a web application, you need “Apache”, “PHP”, “Web programming language”, etc. However, they are created by different organizations, so users must download and install them separately. Many beginners find it difficult to select, download and install individually and are frustrated before developing an app. “XAMPP” is a collection of necessary software and tools that is easy to understand even for beginners.
By the way, XAMPP is a package compatible with Windows and Linux. There are similar services such as “MAMP” for Mac and “LAMP” and “LAMPP” for Linux distributions.
Meaning of XAMPP name
The name XAMPP is taken from the acronyms for packaged software and programming languages.
- “X”: Use “X” which means “class platform” corresponding to each software
- “A”: Uses the acronym “Apache” for software
- “M”: Uses the acronym “Maria DB” for database management systems
- “P”: Uses the acronym “PHP”, a programming language often used in application development.
- “P”: Uses the acronym “Perl”, a programming language often used in application development
● Cross-platform
“X” is an acronym in XAMPP. This means cross-platform.
Cross-platform is an environment that works with the same specifications for all operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. The environment in which the software operates is developed according to the OS. Therefore, it is generally not usable in other environments. However, due to the diversification of operating environments, there is an increasing demand for cross-platform that can support multiple operating environments with a single program.
By the way, in addition to being called cross-platform, it is also called multi-platform.
● Apache
Apache is one of the webserver software used worldwide. It is said that it boasts a market share of over 50% in the world.
Apache is popular with both companies and individuals due to its high performance and excellent operability, and it boasts a high market share. In addition, Apache is indispensable for development because it is open-source, it can be used for free, and it works regardless of the OS.
If you want to know more about Apache, “What is” Apache “? Please see ” Introduction in detail from the role of Web server software to its features “.
● Maria DB
Maria DB is a database management system derived from MySQL. Since it is based on MySQL, it has many things in common and can be used on a wide range of platforms. There are various types of databases such as “MySQL” and “Microsoft SQL Server”, but Maria DB, which is open-source, easy to use, and has high performance, is a popular database in recent years.
● PHP
PHP is a scripting language often used in web application development. Compared to various programming languages, the grammar is simple and easy to understand, so it is said to be relatively easy to learn. By using PHP, it is possible to “generate HTML source code”, “link with database”, and “receive information from clients with PHP”.
If you want to know more about PHP, please see ” What is PHP? Explaining the basic knowledge of PHP for programming beginners! “.
● Perl
Perl is one of the programming languages. Developed by Larry Wall in 1987, it is a programming language with a history of more than 30 years. It is a language that is often used in development sites, but recently it has been overshadowed by major languages other than Perl. However, even if the version is updated, it has a big advantage in that it has high backward compatibility that can handle older versions of code, and many people are still using it. In addition, it is a programming language that is easy to use even for beginners because it automatically converts character strings and numbers and allows you to enter codes without worrying too much about the type.
Benefits of XAMPP
The advantages of using XAMPP are that “the development environment is ready just by installing it” and “it can be used on a cloud server”.
● The environment for running the program is set up just by installing it.
If you install XAMPP, even those who are new to application development can easily set up a development environment. As mentioned earlier, if you do not use XAMPP, you will have to install and prepare Apache, PHP, programming languages, etc. required for application development individually.
If you are accustomed to development, you can choose what software you need based on your knowledge and experience. For beginners, building a development environment is a complicated task, and many people find it difficult to do well. The advantage of XAMPP is that the necessary development software is packaged and the development environment is easily set up once it is installed.
● Can be installed and used on cloud servers
XAMPP can be installed and run on the cloud. Since XAMPP can be used on AWS, which is also famous as a cloud server, it can also be used in the development environment of various companies. In recent years, more and more people are using cloud servers rather than setting up their servers. It doesn’t make sense if you don’t install and work. Even if your company’s environment is a cloud server, XAMPP is recommended because you can use it without worrying that it will not work.
Disadvantages and precautions of XAMPP
After understanding the features and advantages of XAMPP, let’s know the disadvantages and precautions. If you do not know it, you may be in trouble in case of emergency, so please check the contents carefully.
● The software may not be the latest version
The packaged software may not be the latest version. Depending on when you installed XAMPP, your PHP version maybe a little older. If the version of PHP is old or different from the version you were using, the behavior may be strange, which is inconvenient for development. If you already have software that you are using, check the version in advance and then install and use it.
● If something goes wrong, you need to do it yourself.
As a merit of XAMPP, I said that anyone can easily build a development environment, but on the other hand, there is a demerit that it is difficult to acquire knowledge in the development environment because I did not build it from the beginning.
It is up to you to set up the development environment and develop. If you need to adjust PHP settings during development, you can’t use it without a minimum of knowledge and understanding. In particular, if something goes wrong, it may not be possible to solve it. To prevent this from happening, even if you use XAMPP, try to find the knowledge and understanding you need to develop your app.
How to install and use XAMPP
I will explain everything from downloading to installing XAMPP.
- Download XAMPP
- Install XAMPP
- Start XAMPP
- Start Apache
● Step1. Download XAMPP
To use XAMPP, first, go to Apache Friends and download the required packages. At this time, select the version that suits your company from “XAMPP for Windows”, “XAMPP for Linux”, and “XAMPP for OS X”. The download button is different for each OS, so be careful not to make a mistake. Press the download button to start downloading the file and it will be completed in a few minutes.
* By the way, as of November 2021, “8.0.12” is the latest version.
● Step2. Install XAMPP
After downloading XAMPP, click the file on your desktop or in the download folder. Click to open the XAMPP installer. Follow the instructions on the screen to start the installation. The XAMPP installer allows you to make detailed settings, but you can leave the defaults as they are. If you need to make any settings, change them, and if there are no particular settings, just click “Next” to proceed.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the XAMPP installation. When completed, “Finish” will appear. Click it to close the installer.
● Step3. Start XAMPP
After installing XAMPP, click the XAMPP icon displayed on the desktop or any folder to start it. When XAMPP starts, the control screen with a yellow screen will be displayed. If the control screen is displayed normally, let’s operate the screen after this.
● Step4. Start Apache
After starting XAMPP, you need to start Apache to develop a web application. To start Apache, click the Apache Start button in the XAPMM control panel. At this time, if you want to check if Apache is running, there is no problem if you access “HTTP: // localhost /” and the initial screen of Apache is displayed. If the initial screen is not displayed, press the “Start” button from the control panel again to restart it.
If you want to stop Apache from starting, you can stop it by clicking “Stop” on the same line. If necessary, click “Stop” to stop it.
Let’s develop using convenient XAMPP!
XAMPP is a very useful tool in the development environment. It’s easy to use, so even people with little experience in development can say that it’s relatively easy to use. It can also be used for developing your web application, so if you are thinking about planning, you may consider XAMPP as a development environment.
However, as mentioned in the section on disadvantages and precautions, XAMPP has one aspect that the development environment tends to become a black box. When something goes wrong, it may not be possible to solve it unless the person in charge of development has some knowledge. While it is very convenient, it also has disadvantages, so please make sure you understand it before using it.
We recommend that you outsource the development of web applications as well as your own.
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