Research Documentation 03 Running Php Locally

Running PHP Locally - Nathan Barlow

Technique 1 - MAMP

MAMP stands for Macintosh, Apache, MySQL, and PHP and is used to run a local server on a Mac. MAMP installation is very quick and easy on a Mac, and offers more tools for Mac users than XAMPP. It is also typically easier to use than XAMPP because XAMPP installation and usage is different depending on the operating system.

Technique 2 - XAMPP

XAMPP is one of the most popular local PHP development environments. It is available to download across multiple platforms: Windows, macOS and Linux, which makes it very versatile. It is free and open source and was originally released in 2002. Upon download, users can select the components they want to use and choose an installation directory. After creating a file in the htdocs folder of the chosen directory, users can see the website by typing http://localhost in a web browser.

Technique 3 - DesktopServer

DesktopServer is another option to run local PHP development. There is a free version, but users will most likely end up paying for the premium version. There is support to easily run as many sites as needed using DesktopServer, and the user interface is very simple.

Summary of the Documentation

There are many ways to run PHP locally on a computer, and most offer very similar features. Users will likely choose one and stick with it if it works. Choosing one over another may offer speed and performance improvements. Additionally, some are easier to use than others. Mac users tend to prefer MAMP since it is the most simple for them to use.