XAMPP 8.2.12 for Windows

XAMPP 8.2.12 is a free and open-source web server solution stack for Windows from Apache Friends. It installs everything needed to run a website on your own computer in one package, so you can build and test sites locally before publishing them; you can download XAMPP from the official Apache Friends site.

Specifications

What XAMPP is for

A dynamic website normally runs on a server with a web server, a database and a scripting language working together. Setting up each piece separately takes time and knowledge. XAMPP bundles them into a single installer with a control panel, so a student, a web designer or a developer can have a working local server within minutes and start writing code. It is handy for learning web development and for trying out content management systems on a laptop without renting hosting. Several release lines are offered side by side, so pick the one that matches what your project or hosting uses. It is important to remember what XAMPP is not: it is designed for development on your own machine, not for running a public production website.

Installation

1. Open the official download page and choose the Windows installer of the line you need.
2. Install it to a short path such as a folder in the root of a drive, away from Program Files, to avoid permission problems.
3. Open the XAMPP Control Panel and start the web server and database modules.
4. Visit localhost in your browser to check that the start page appears.
5. Put your project files in the htdocs folder inside the XAMPP directory.

Release announcements are published on the Apache Friends blog.

Security

The default configuration favours convenience over security: it is meant for a computer that nobody else can reach. Do not expose a XAMPP installation to the internet, set passwords for the database administrator account if other people share your network, and keep the stack updated. Download it only from apachefriends.org.

Common problems

If the web server will not start, another program is often using the same network port; other local servers are typical culprits. Change the port in the configuration or close the other program. Antivirus software sometimes blocks the services on first start, so allow them if you trust the source.

Pros and cons

• Pro: complete local server in one installer.
• Pro: free and open source.
• Pro: easy to start and stop from a control panel.
• Con: not suitable for production servers.
• Con: default settings are insecure for shared networks.

Alternatives

Our developer tool listings include Notepad++ and Adobe Dreamweaver for editing web code, and Android Studio and Arduino IDE for other kinds of development.