How To Install PHP On Windows?

We are examining how to install PHP on Windows. The following is a step-by-step guide to install PHP on Windows. Your system configuration may affect the exact steps you need to follow, but following these steps should result in a working PHP installation.

There are several ways to install PHP on Windows:

• ZIP Package: If you prefer a manual installation, you can use the ZIP package, which contains the PHP binaries and the configuration files. You will need to extract the contents of the ZIP package to a directory on your system, configure PHP, and add it to the PATH environment variable.
• Web Platform Installer: If you are using a web server such as IIS, you can use the Web Platform Installer, which is a graphical installer that allows you to install PHP as a module for IIS.
• XAMPP: XAMPP is a pre-configured web development environment that includes Apache, PHP, and other components. XAMPP is easy to install and use, and is suitable for testing and development purposes.
• WAMP: WAMP is a similar package to XAMPP, but is specifically designed for Windows. WAMP includes Apache, PHP, and other components, and is easy to install and use for web development.

These are some of the ways to install PHP on Windows. The exact method you choose will depend on your needs and preferences, but each of these options provides a working PHP installation that you can use for web development.

Install PHP On Windows ZIP Package:

1- First download the PHP ZIP package: Go to the official PHP website (https://windows.php.net/download) and download the VC15 x64 Non Thread Safe ZIP package, which is suitable for most Windows systems.

2- Extract the package: Extract the contents of the ZIP package to a directory on your system, such as “C:\php”.

3- Configure PHP: Open the “php.ini-development” file in a text editor, and make any necessary changes to the configuration. For example, you can set the time zone, enable extensions, or adjust performance settings.

4- Add PHP to the PATH: Open the Environment Variables dialog in Windows, and add the “C:\php” directory to the PATH environment variable. This makes it possible to run the “php” command from any directory in the command line.

To use PHP in a web server environment, you will need to configure a web server, such as Apache to use PHP as the server-side scripting language.

Install Apache on Windows:

Here is a step-by-step guide to install Apache on Windows:

1- Download the Apache MSI package: Go to the official Apache website (https://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi) and download the latest version of the Apache HTTP Server for Windows.

2- Install Apache: Run the MSI package to start the Apache installation wizard, and follow the instructions to complete the installation. The wizard will prompt you to select the components to install and the location of the Apache installation.

3- Configure Apache: Open the Apache configuration file, “httpd.conf”, in a text editor, and make any necessary changes to the configuration. For example, you can set the server name, the document root, or the listening port.

4- Start the Apache service: Open the Services manager in Windows, and start the Apache service. You can also use the Apache Command Prompt, which is installed with Apache, to control the Apache service.

5- Configure a firewall: If you have a firewall enabled on your system, you may need to configure it to allow incoming traffic on the Apache listening port. This will depend on your firewall software and the configuration of your network.

Install PHP Through XAMPP

Here’s a step-by-step guide to install PHP on Windows using XAMPP:

1- Download XAMPP: You can download XAMPP from the official Apache Friends website (https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html). Select the appropriate version of XAMPP for your system and download the installer file.

2- Install XAMPP: Run the XAMPP installer file and follow the installation process. You will be asked to select the components you want to install. Make sure to select “PHP” and any other components you need.

3- Launch XAMPP: Once XAMPP is installed, launch it from the start menu. A control panel will appear, showing the status of the Apache and MySQL services.

4- Start Apache and MySQL: To run PHP, you will need to start both the Apache and MySQL services. You can do this by clicking the “Start” buttons for each service in the XAMPP control panel.

5- Test PHP: To test if PHP is installed and working correctly, create a new .php file in the “htdocs” folder of your XAMPP installation directory (e.g. “C:\xampp\htdocs”). In the file, add the following code:

<?php
   phpinfo();
?>

6- Open the PHP file in a web browser: To open the file in a web browser, type “http://localhost/[filename].php” into the address bar (e.g. “http://localhost/test.php”). If PHP is working correctly, you should see a page displaying information about your PHP installation.

PHP has now been installed and configured on your Windows system using XAMPP. You can now start developing PHP applications.

PHP-Compatible Web Hosts

You do not need to do anything if your server supports PHP.

The server will automatically detect some .php files in your web directory when you create them and they will be automatically parsed.

There is no need to compile anything or install any extra software.

PHP is free and open-source, so most web hosts support it.

Compile PHP Code

By editing PHP code and viewing the results in your browser, you can edit PHP code with mrexamples online PHP compiler.

You now know how to install PHP on your Windows computer.