Installing and Configuring Apache, PHP, and MariaDB/MySQL on Windows

Setting up a local development environment with Apache, PHP, and MariaDB/MySQL on Windows allows you to develop and test web applications efficiently. This article will guide you through the installation and configuration process step-by-step.

Why you want to configure yourself and not use XAMPP ?

• XAMPP is easy to install and configures all but you may not get the latest version of PHP, Apache and Maria DB
• Manually configuring each component provides a deeper understanding of how web servers, PHP, and databases work together. This knowledge can be valuable for troubleshooting and optimizing your setup.
• For production environments that don’t use XAMPP, manually setting up your development environment to match the production environment as closely as possible can help prevent deployment issues.
• When you configure the components manually, you have the opportunity to optimize each one individually, which can lead to better performance.
• XAMPP comes with many bundled components that you might not need. Manually configuring your environment means you only install and run what’s necessary, potentially reducing system overhead.

Prerequisites

• A computer running Windows 10 or later
• Administrator privileges

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Install Apache

• Download Apache
  • Go to the Apache website.
  • Download the latest version of the Apache HTTP Server.
• Extract and Configure Apache
  • Extract the downloaded ZIP file to C:\Apache24
  • Open the C:\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf file in a text editor.
  • Change the ServerRoot directive to: ServerRoot "C:/Apache24"
  • Set the Listen directive to the desired port, e.g.,: Listen 80
  • Change the ServerName directive to: ServerName localhost:80
• Install Apache as a Windows Service
  • Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
  • Navigate to the bin directory: cd C:\Apache24\bin
  • Install the Apache service: httpd.exe -k install
  • Start the Apache service: httpd.exe -k start

Step 2: Install PHP

• Download PHP
  • Go to PHP website
  • Download the latest Thread Safe version of PHP.
  • Note: You need to download the ZIP file
• Extract and Configure PHP
  • Extract the downloaded ZIP file to C:\PHP.
  • Rename php.ini-development to php.ini.
  • Open php.ini in a text editor and uncomment extension_dir = "ext"
  • Uncomment the necessary extensions you want to enable, e.g.: extension=mysqli
• Add PHP to the system PATH:
  • Open Settings > System > Advanced system settings.
  • Click on Environment Variables.
  • Under System variables, select Path and click Edit.
  • Add C:\PHP to the list.
• Configure Apache to Use PHP
  • Open the C:\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf file in a text editor.
  • Add the following lines at the end of the file:

  • LoadModule php_module "C:/PHP/php8apache2_4.dll"
    AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php
    PHPIniDir "C:/PHP"
    

  • Restart the Apache service: httpd.exe -k restart

Step 3: Install MariaDB/MySQL

• Download MariaDB/MySQL
  • Go to the MariaDB or MySQL website.
  • Download the latest stable release.
• Install MariaDB/MySQL
  • Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
  • Choose the default options unless you have specific requirements.
  • Note the root password set during the installation process.

Step 4: Configure PHP to Use MariaDB/MySQL

• Open the php.ini file in a text editor.
• Enable the MySQL extension: extension=mysqli and extension=pdo_mysql
  • Enable pdo only if you want to use PDO for connecting with mysql
• Restart the Apache service: httpd.exe -k restart

Step 5: Test the Installation

• Create a new file named info.php in the C:\Apache24\htdocs directory.
• Add the following code to info.php

<?php
phpinfo(); 
?>

• Open a web browser and go to http://localhost/info.php
• Verify that the PHP configuration page is displayed.

Connect to MariaDB/MySQL

• Create a new file named db_test.php in the C:\Apache24\htdocs directory.
• Add the following code to db_test.php:

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "root", "your_password", "mysql");
if ($mysqli->connect_error) {
die("Connection failed: " . $mysqli->connect_error);
}
echo "Connected successfully";
?>

• Open a web browser and go to http://localhost/db_test.php
• Verify that the message Connected successfully is displayed.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured Apache, PHP, and MariaDB/MySQL on your Windows machine. This setup will provide you with a robust local development environment for your web projects

Thankyou for reading!