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There was a similar question asked here three years ago, but I want to open it up further to include all possible Windows/Apache/MySQL/PHP stacks.

Which to do you think is best?

XAMPP seems to be the most popular, but I've read several bad things about it that make me wonder if it's as good as its popularity suggests. For example, I've heard that their default PHP configuration is very insecure (and apparently their admin app can't function without these holes being left open). This isn't terrible for a development situation, obviously, but you may end up relying on something like register_globals.

I also spotted something else which makes me concerned: The developers recommend that Vista users disable UAC in order to use their software!

For me that's a big red flag. Yes, there are problems with getting something like this running on Vista with UAC enabled, but disabling UAC should never be offered as a solution, especially for newbs (who need UAC more than anyone). It makes me very concerned.

WampServer apparently is easier to switch versions of PHP or Apache, if you need to. But it comes with less features than XAMPP (no FTP server, for example).

EasyPHP is one that I have no experience of, so I can't say, but it's apparently pretty popular, too.

Alternatives? There a ton of other stacks listed on Wikipedia. Do any of these come recommended?

So which do you use, and why do you consider it the best? Did you just stick with the first one you tried?

I imagine most of us just want something quick, light, and up-to-date.

warmth
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Chuck Le Butt
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  • I know this isn't an answer to what you originally asked, but I used mentioned packages only to try them out. As far as I know, they're meant for development purposes, not actual production. Also, isn't it easier to set up your own server / php / database instance? You get MUCH more control over what's being used or what you want enabled / disabled. – Michael J.V. Apr 07 '11 at 11:35
  • I prefer to set my local configuration myself. Is this not an option? However, if you use one of those packages, its up to you to change any setting, until it fits your needs. Also, you are usually not force to use a "admin app" provided with one. This way you can use one of those packages as a platform for your own custom configuration. – KingCrunch Apr 07 '11 at 11:38
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    @Michael, Yes we're talking about a development situation. Also, I don't think you get "much more" control. You can still configure everything the way you want to once they're installed, it's just a question of saving time: Setting up and maintaining everything separately takes a while, especially when you have to learn how to configure everything. These stacks are great time-savers. – Chuck Le Butt Apr 07 '11 at 11:38
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    I remember when I last used XAMPP - I was annoyed by searching for Apache settings to the point where I gave up, uninstalled XAMPP and used standalone packages to set everything up. It took me about 40 minutes to set up my own development environment vs 1 hour of digging trough .conf, .cnf and .ini files (at which point I found settings that surprised me and that I wanted changed). So you get more control over configuring your own setup over "fixing" someone else's. – Michael J.V. Apr 07 '11 at 11:48
  • i use XAMPP for dev & match the settings i have on production. never run into problems and it has everything ya need, no need for ftp obviously. its a MUST to know how to configure apache,mysql so you can find problems later on. people who want to setup there own servers tend tobe professionals and people who are savi with servers but a total noob whos just starting out will find it extremely confusing before even writing 1 line of code if theses weren't about. stack overflow would have its own setup my server section im sure... – Lawrence Cherone Apr 07 '11 at 11:56
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    Great question! If it were not for you it would take me much more time to find and try UniformServer of UwAmp. Both are far better than wamp/xampp... Thank you. – CoR May 25 '13 at 00:58
  • There`s also [WT-NMP](http://sourceforge.net/projects/wtnmp/) based on Nginx – idragosalex Jan 28 '15 at 09:18
  • In my case i'm using Neard : https://github.com/crazy-max/neard – CrazyMax Jun 10 '16 at 09:22
  • I use bitnami wamp stack on widows when have problem with .dll's That works like charm - https://bitnami.com/stack/wamp – Akshay Joshi Feb 07 '17 at 12:13

5 Answers5

48

I generally install Apache + PHP + MySQL by-hand, not using any package like those you're talking about.

It's a bit more work, yes; but knowing how to install and configure your environment is great -- and useful.

The first time, you'll need maybe half a day or a day to configure those. But, at least, you'll know how to do so.

And the next times, things will be far more easy, and you'll need less time.

Else, you might want to take a look at Zend Server -- which is another package that bundles Apache + PHP + MySQL.

Or, as an alternative, don't use Windows.

If your production servers are running Linux, why not run Linux on your development machine?

And if you don't want to (or cannot) install Linux on your computer, use a Virtual Machine.

the
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Pascal MARTIN
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    I think you're right in that learning how to configure everything puts you in a much stronger position, but I'm not sure if I have time to do that right now. I'll look into it, thanks. – Chuck Le Butt Apr 07 '11 at 11:41
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    I configured things myself, as you suggested. I agree, you do learn a lot. Thanks! – Chuck Le Butt Apr 07 '11 at 21:22
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    Great :-) Glad to see you agree on learning a lot from the time you invested ! – Pascal MARTIN Apr 07 '11 at 21:42
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    This doesn't answer the question at all. Sometimes it's just a matter of time and you want a fast way to build your dev environment. – JYL May 10 '13 at 16:22
  • "Or, as an alternative : don't use Windows." MF Rite. Plz! +1 – CharlieTuna Feb 15 '14 at 17:46
  • I highly recommend this (installing by hand), because that's what you end up doing in production mode. – Salman Jan 20 '15 at 12:44
  • These days, WSL is the way to go. Unfortunately the question is closed, so I cannot post this as an answer. – rebane2001 Jan 27 '20 at 09:52
35

After years of using XAMPP finally I've given up, and started looking for alternatives. XAMPP has not received any updates for quite a while and it kept breaking down once every two weeks.

The one I've just found and I could absolutely recommend is The Uniform Server

It's really frequently updated, has much more emphasis on security and looks like a much more mature project compared to XAMPP.

They have a wiki where they list all the latest versions of packages. As the time of writing, their newest release is only 4 days old!

Versions in Uniform Server as of today:

  • Apache 2.4.2
  • MySQL 5.5.23-community
  • PHP 5.4.1
  • phpMyAdmin 3.5.0

Versions in XAMPP as of today:

  • Apache 2.2.21
  • MySQL 5.5.16
  • PHP 5.3.8
  • phpMyAdmin 3.4.5
Chuck Le Butt
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hyperknot
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    I totally agree. It's a great package. Highly recommended. Small, portable, lightweight. – Chuck Le Butt May 02 '12 at 10:03
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    Thank you so much, you've relieved me of many many hours of battling with XAMPP/WAMP that I will never get back. – Anonymous May 17 '12 at 09:53
  • When I visit the url - uniformserver.com it redirects me to some forex site! – Aajahid Sep 05 '13 at 05:23
  • It seems they forgot their domain or got hacked. Here is the SF link for the meantime: http://sourceforge.net/projects/miniserver/ – hyperknot Sep 05 '13 at 10:22
  • A good alternative is [WT-NMP](https://sourceforge.net/projects/wtnmp/) based on Nginx – idragosalex Apr 02 '15 at 12:00
  • I'm so glad I came across this answer. The Uniform Server really is superior to EasyPHP or anything else I've ever used. – Joaquin De La Sierra Jun 01 '15 at 21:08
  • Good to see they are still making frequent releases: http://sourceforge.net/projects/miniserver/files/Uniform%20Server%20ZeroXI/ – marcovtwout Jun 15 '15 at 09:33
  • The Uniform Server can only be downloaded via SourceForge which may contain a trojan: https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/9469bbc71f1f2756678a07dc5599f5ec03374240100ceff1b3573cce8f29aefd/analysis/1455158666/ – Clarus Dignus Feb 11 '16 at 02:54
  • ...however it seems to be a false positive. Having used UniServer, it's a hassle-free dream to install in comparison to XAMPP, I'm in love with how it's portable and does not create an mess with registry keys. – Clarus Dignus Feb 11 '16 at 03:55
  • It looks like Unform Server is no longer updated regularly. – wp78de Apr 22 '18 at 00:00
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EasyPHP is very good :

  • lightweight & portable : no windows service (like wamp)
  • easy to configure (all configuration files in the same folder : httpd.conf, php.ini & my.ini)
  • auto restarts apache when you edit httpd.conf

WAMP or UWAMP are good choices if you need to test with multiples versions of PHP and Apache.

But you can also use multiple versions of PHP with EasyPHP (by downloading the PHP version you need on php.net, and loading this version by editing httpd.conf) : 

LoadModule php4_module "${path}/php4/php4apache2_2.dll"
Vince
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  • At this moment, the latest EasyPHP dev download is already 1,5 years old (and their latest php version is 0,5 years old). – marcovtwout Jun 15 '15 at 09:24
  • I downloaded from their site and it is PHP 7. I know this is an older question though. – johnny Feb 29 '16 at 23:46
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I won't make such a big deal from this question.
It's not like choosing your new wife or car.
I'd never run any of these on a production server, so, to run just some quick tests any of them are equally good.

Your Common Sense
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  • Yup, if he is programmer, then it is not his job to configure server properly. Otherwise he can get easily hacked, DoSed, and what not... – Dejan Marjanović Apr 07 '11 at 11:47
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    I hope nobody posts on a forum like this asking for advice on who to pick for a new wife(!). – Chuck Le Butt Apr 07 '11 at 12:45
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    Also, this question is as valid as asking for opinions on an IDE. Sure, it will come down to personal taste, but there's no harm in understanding the general consensus first. – Chuck Le Butt Apr 07 '11 at 12:47
  • @Django quite contrary. A professional would use an IDE while he won't use any of these. – Your Common Sense Apr 07 '11 at 12:52
  • Are you sure a professional developer wouldn't use a pre-made stack like this? – Chuck Le Butt Apr 07 '11 at 16:52
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    Could you please articulate WHY a professional developer would not or should not use a pre-made stack? – Eric Mar 28 '12 at 14:48
  • I too would like to know that. – qwerty Apr 19 '12 at 11:04
  • I think it makes more sense for a professional developer (not a sysadmin!) to use a pre-made stack than to use an IDE! I personally prefer running things on a Linux VM with Vagrant, but I see no major problems with a pre-made stack. Especially when you want to dive into development as soon as possible. Save the niggling with details of the VM for later! – iconoclast Jan 31 '13 at 17:01
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    Note that picking a car for your wife should be taken with significant consideration, however. – Jon Story Feb 21 '13 at 10:22
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    Real programmers write their own OS. – Cees Timmerman Jun 26 '13 at 15:48
  • Why are we assuming this is for a production server? –  Dec 24 '14 at 06:39
  • I read that as "its not like choosing your new wife." haha – wired00 Jan 20 '15 at 23:08
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I'm using EasyPHP in making my Thesis about Content Management System. So far, this tool is very good and easy to use.

eckes
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Joey
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    I can see that this was your first answer to a question, so you didn't have the rep to post this as a comment, but in the future, you might want to consider posting this as a comment. Answers are supposed to be a solution to the problem that you are pretty confident will solve the problem. – Fluffeh Sep 28 '12 at 08:15
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    EasyPHP sounds nice, but [its homepage](http://www.easyphp.org/) is ugly and misspells the "resources" header, destroying my faith in its quality. – Cees Timmerman Jun 26 '13 at 16:54