PHP Installation

To run PHP code on your computer, you need a local web server environment. PHP itself is a server-side language, which means it cannot run by simply opening a .php file in your browser the way an HTML file can. You need a proper server setup. This guide covers the easiest and most reliable ways to get started on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

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What Do You Need?

A typical PHP development environment consists of three things working together:

• A web server — Apache or Nginx, which handles incoming HTTP requests
• PHP — the language engine that processes your .php files
• A database — usually MySQL, for storing and retrieving data

You can install each of these separately, or use an all-in-one stack that bundles all three for you. For beginners, the all-in-one approach is almost always the better choice.

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Supported Operating Systems

PHP runs on all major platforms. Choose the one that matches your computer:

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Option 1: Using Laragon (Windows — Highly Recommended)

Laragon is a modern, lightweight local development environment for Windows. It bundles Apache, PHP, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin and gets you running in minutes — no complex configuration required.

Step-by-Step Installation

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Option 2: Using XAMPP (Windows, macOS, Linux)

XAMPP is the most popular cross-platform PHP stack in the world. It includes Apache, PHP, MySQL (MariaDB), and phpMyAdmin, and works on all three major operating systems.

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Option 3: Manual PHP Installation on Linux

On Ubuntu or Debian-based Linux systems, you can install PHP directly using the package manager. Open your terminal and run:

Update Package Lists

sudo apt update

Install Apache and PHP

sudo apt install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php

Install MySQL (Optional)

sudo apt install mysql-server php-mysql

Restart Apache

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Your PHP files go inside /var/www/html/. Open a browser and visit http://localhost to confirm Apache is running.

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Option 4: Manual PHP Installation on macOS

macOS comes with a version of PHP pre-installed, but it is often outdated. The recommended way to get the latest PHP on macOS is through Homebrew:

brew install php

Check which version was installed:

php -v

To use a built-in development server (no Apache needed) for testing:

php -S localhost:8000

Then open http://localhost:8000 in your browser to see your PHP files run.

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Choosing the Right Option

Tool	OS	Includes Apache	Includes MySQL	Best For
Laragon	Windows	✔ Yes	✔ Yes	Fast, modern Windows dev
XAMPP	All platforms	✔ Yes	✔ Yes	Cross-platform beginners
MAMP	macOS, Windows	✔ Yes	✔ Yes	macOS developers
apt install	Linux	✔ Yes	✔ Yes	Linux server setup
php -S	All platforms	✘ Built-in only	✘ No	Quick testing only

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Verify Your PHP Installation

After setting up your server, create a file called info.php inside your web root folder (www, htdocs, or /var/www/html) with the following content:

<?php
    phpinfo();
?>

Then open your browser and visit:

http://localhost/info.php

If PHP is installed and running correctly, you will see a detailed PHP information page with your version number, configuration settings, and enabled extensions.

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Key Points to Remember

• PHP is a server-side language — you cannot run .php files by double-clicking them like HTML files
• For Windows beginners, Laragon or XAMPP is the fastest and easiest setup
• On Linux, use sudo apt install php apache2 to get started quickly
• On macOS, use Homebrew to install the latest PHP version
• Always verify your install by creating a phpinfo() page
• Delete info.php from any public-facing server after testing