Apache Friends Support Forum

I use LInux Mint and I'v always just run `apt-get install apache2` & `apt-get install php5`, so what is XAMPP and what does it have to offer that doing a simple Apache / PHP install doesn't? Thanks.

XAMPP is a preconfigured bundle.
Of course you can simply install Apache and PHP and all of that with help of your Linux packaging manager.
If you have the knowledge how to do this and how to change configuration to your needs, that is the preferred way of installation because you have full flexibility.

lewashby wrote:what does it have to offer that doing a simple Apache / PHP install doesn't? Thanks.

It does (for example) the same "simple install" on an OSX and/or on an Windows PC. Does your "apt-get" install Apache on Windows as well? Of course there is no need for a Xampp Package on the the most linux distributions, but some people are used to the ease of use of Xampp and the opportunity, to install all the same Packages on Windows/OSX/Linux as well.

Xampp comes also with a preconfigured MySQL and Phpmyadmin installation, so that you dont need to change any config files, simply put your own scripts and files to the DocumentRoot and execute them via http://localhost. This is not a big deal for a skilled User, but is a very big deal for many Users, that do not know much more about PCs than their On/Off button....

Can you choose for XAMPP to install MariaDB instead of MySQL? Thanks guys.

lewashby wrote:Can you choose for XAMPP to install MariaDB instead of MySQL? Thanks guys.

MariaDB is already part of Xampp instead of MySQL. Please read the "What's included" link, for example for the latest version 5.6.19:

Includes: Apache 2.4.17, MariaDB 10.1.10, PHP 5.6.19, phpMyAdmin 4.5.1, OpenSSL 1.0.2, XAMPP Control Panel 3.2.2, Webalizer 2.23-04, Mercury Mail Transport System 4.63, FileZilla FTP Server 0.9.41, Tomcat 7.0.56 (with mod_proxy_ajp as connector), Strawberry Perl 7.0.56 Portable

Please excuse me for asking a similar question on a thread not mine.

I would like to know if XAMPP uses the same file layout as Apache.org itself and does not split configuration files the way Debian does? I'm currently struggling to get rid of all the Debian Apache oddities in my home server and to get as close to the Apache.org layout like in the mainframe computers / web hotels. At present I now have Apache built/compiled from scratch using an installation configuration created by JBlond on Git but I still have things to sort with PHP and MySql to get those up and running. Also updating may be a little tedious with this git solution.

Thanks

Hi,

I hope no one minds loaning the thread for a similar Q, actually 3 of them.


Does XAMPP use Apache.org default file paths for the installation?

How about not splitting configuration files all over the place like Debian package installation does?

Is the XAMPP "dashboard" a must or can I operate using same command line commands as with the Apache.org standard installation?

Thanks.

Hmm, sorry about the two similar questions, as a first timer I thought the first Q had gone to bitheaven as it did not show up in the thread ...

apu wrote:How about not splitting configuration files all over the place like Debian package installation does?

Xampp does not spilt up configuration like Debian (and other Linux Distributions), but in fact it is splitted, but in a different manner. Xampp has a httdp.conf with lots of basic configurations and there is a subfolder "extra" which contains multiple configuration files, looks as if it is one file per Apache Module. The files are named like httpd-vhosts.conf, httpd-ssl.conf etc..

I dont know if this is the same structure as for Apache.org

By the way, you are not forced to use this file structures, neither in Xampp nor for Debian. You simply may use your own httpd.conf (which contains lots of includes for Xampp and Debian) and simply put everything into that single file, this is how it worked from the beginning of Apache. There might be a problem with Debian, because they deliver some GUIs for Apache configuration, which of course rely on this file structure, but again, you are not forced to use these GUIs, you simply may edit httpd.conf in old fashioned way. Apache does not care for a special file structure, Apache simply reads the configuration file httpd.conf (or apache2.conf, this is also configurable) and executes the rows, especially the include commands, in order to load different configuration files. Thats all.

apu wrote:Is the XAMPP "dashboard" a must or can I operate using same command line commands as with the Apache.org standard installation?

Its only a "can", you simply may delete or overwrite index.php in htdocs folder. The dashboard is only a Welcome screen with a few links to Phpmyadmin etc., but most of these links are extremely easy to remember (like http://localhost/phpmyadmin for example).

OK, thanks Nobbie. I'll make a test installation and check if I like what I see or not.

I wish there were a package which would keep everything exactly as apache.org does - there are many of us I'm sure. It would minimize all kinds of ruffle and unnecessary hassle reducing headaches and waste of precious time.

apu wrote:I wish there were a package which would keep everything exactly as apache.org does

So Apache.org for example? Why not?

apu wrote:It would minimize all kinds of ruffle and unnecessary hassle reducing headaches and waste of precious time.

In my mind, Xampp is extremely easy to configure. In any case, it is BY FAR(!!!) more difficult to configure Apache, than to understand, how Xampp (for example) keeps the configuration files. There are only a couple of files and thats it.

Nobbie wrote:
So Apache.org for example? Why not?

Understandably they don't want to get involved in any Linux distro specific stuff.

apu wrote:It would minimize all kinds of ruffle and unnecessary hassle reducing headaches and waste of precious time.

Nobbie wrote:In my mind, Xampp is extremely easy to configure. In any case, it is BY FAR(!!!) more difficult to configure Apache, than to understand, how Xampp (for example) keeps the configuration files. There are only a couple of files and thats it.

OK, hope you are right about that. The FAQ then warns something of XAMPP not being production friendly/safe only for development. That's a drawback, I'm building a home server for IoT and certainly I want a secure system. Well, that probably is solvable and not anything definitive to be worried about at this point.