PHP is a programming language for hosting websites. PHP code must be executed on a server. We cannot totally rely on an internet server to learn PHP. Furthermore, when we initially begin learning PHP, we will make tiny blunders. We would waste a lot of time if we start modifying the code on the web server for every error. However, if we utilise the Local Server, we may simply correct our errors on our own PC. As a result, we utilise Local Server to learn PHP.
On the Local Server, there is software that installs one of our computers to the server by installing it on our computer. We can simply learn PHP on this local server. There are other kinds of Local Servers available on the Internet, including WAMP Server, XAMPP Server, and Zend Server, however I recommend that you use the XAMPP server. You may also use the WAMP server. You do not need to purchase any licences while using WAMP Server and XAMPP Server, which are both freely accessible on the Internet.
How to install the XAMPP Server?
Download the server from here, https://www.apachefriends.org/
To install XAMPP server on Windows, follow these steps:
- Go to the Apache Friends website and download the XAMPP installer for Windows.
- Run the installer and select the components you want to install (Apache, MySQL, PHP, phpMyAdmin, etc.).
- Choose the directory where you want to install XAMPP. The default is usually "C:\xampp".
- Click on "Install" to begin the installation process.
- Once the installation is complete, launch XAMPP Control Panel and start the Apache and MySQL services.
- Open your web browser and navigate to " http://localhost/ " to confirm that XAMPP is working correctly.
Note: For Mac and Linux systems, the installation process is similar, but the installer files and directory paths may be different. It's recommended to refer to the XAMPP documentation for specific instructions for your operating system.