XAMPP is a free and open-source software that allows you to create a local web server environment on your Windows 10 computer. XAMPP stands for Cross-Platform (X), Apache (A), MySQL (M), PHP (P) and Perl (P). With XAMPP, you can easily install and run various web applications, such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc. In this article, I will show you how to download and install XAMPP on Windows 10 step by step.
Step 1: Download XAMPP for Windows 10
The first step is to download the latest version of XAMPP for Windows 10 from the official website of Apache Friends. You can choose the version that suits your needs, but I recommend you to download the one that includes PHP 8.0.28, which is the most recent and stable version at the time of writing this article. The file size is about 160 MB.
Step 2: Run the XAMPP Installer
After downloading the XAMPP installer, you need to run it as an administrator. To do that, right-click on the downloaded file and select Run as administrator. You may see a User Account Control (UAC) prompt asking you to allow the app to make changes to your device. Click Yes to continue.
Step 3: Follow the XAMPP Setup Wizard
The XAMPP setup wizard will guide you through the installation process. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Click “
Next” on the welcome screen. - Select the components you want to install. By default, all components are selected, but you can uncheck the ones you don’t need. For example, if you don’t plan to use Perl, you can uncheck it. However, some components are required and cannot be unchecked, such as Apache, MySQL, PHP and phpMyAdmin.
- Click “
Next” to proceed. - Choose the installation folder. You can use the default location (
C:\xampp) or browse to another folder of your choice. However, avoid installing XAMPP in a folder that has spaces or special characters in its name, such as Program Files or Documents. Also, if you have UAC enabled on your computer, avoid installing XAMPP in the root folder of your system drive (C:), as this may cause permission issues later. - Click “
Next” to continue. - Uncheck the box that says “
Learn more about Bitnami for XAMPP”, unless you are interested in installing ready-to-use web applications from Bitnami, such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc. Bitnami is a separate project that offers pre-configured web applications that you can install on top of XAMPP. However, you can always install these applications manually later, without using Bitnami. - Click “
Next” to start the installation. - Wait for the installation to complete. This may take several minutes, depending on your computer speed and the components you have selected.
- Click “
Finish” when the installation is done.
Step 4: Launch the XAMPP Control Panel
After the installation is finished, you can launch the XAMPP Control Panel from the Start menu or from the installation folder. The XAMPP Control Panel is a graphical user interface that allows you to manage the XAMPP components, such as starting and stopping the servers, checking the logs, accessing the configuration files, etc.
The first time you launch the XAMPP Control Panel, you need to select a language. You can choose between English and German. Click “Save” to confirm your choice.
Step 5: Start the XAMPP Servers
To start using XAMPP, you need to start the servers that you want to use. For example, if you want to run a PHP web application, you need to start the Apache server and the MySQL server. To do that, simply click on the “Start” button next to each server name in the XAMPP Control Panel. You will see a green indicator and a “Running” status when the server is started.
You may see some firewall prompts asking you to allow the servers to access the network. Click “Allow access” to grant the permission. This is necessary for the servers to work properly.
Step 6: Test the XAMPP Installation
To test if XAMPP is working correctly, you can open your web browser and go to the following URL:
http://localhostYou should see the XAMPP dashboard, which shows you some information about your XAMPP installation, such as the version, the components, the documentation, the FAQs, etc.
You can also go to the following URL to access the phpMyAdmin tool, which allows you to manage your MySQL databases:
http://localhost/phpmyadminYou should see the phpMyAdmin interface, which shows you the list of your databases, tables, users, etc.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have successfully installed XAMPP on Windows 10. You can now use XAMPP to create and test your web applications locally, without the need of an internet connection or a web hosting service.
You can also install various web applications, such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc., by following their respective installation instructions. I hope you found this article helpful and informative.
If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading. 😊