Apache Friends Support Forum

I'm not sure if i understood what Xampp is all about. It's suppose to be a host for databases and to act like a server ?

But if thats the case how can i test my php even works without uploading it to the host? It confuses me on how this all works cos hyper links etc wont work unless there i buy a server which i don't want to pay money until i tested the thing out and know it works

or am i mis understanding the point of Xampp?

Yes, it looks like you misunderstood Xampp

Basically, if you want to test php pages, you need a webserver software.
Normally it's Apache or IIS or something similar.
Php is best for access to databases. Typically MySQL.
Often you want to send mails over your php pages, you want to transfer files to your the machine where your webserver is running.
For all of these tasks you are able to find according software pieces.

And now here's xampp. xampp is nothing more as a bundle of all of these software products. xampp automatically installs and configures apache, php, mysql and all these things on your pc and turns your pc into a full working webserver.

Yeh but you just said that for hosting php i need a webserver such as apache then you said near the end that xampp contains apache + other programs.. meaning it does act as a webserver and so i can upload php files ? :S but i dont know how ?

xampp does not act as a webserver, because xampp only installs apache and apache acts as a webserver

Nevertheless, uploading files does not depend on a webserver running.
Of course, if there's a kind of script which allows uploading files... then yes,
but normally you need/use a tool like ftp to upload files.