local accessible even when xampp is not started

[mingon]

I'm new to xampp and a bit clueless when it comes to web dev / network.
I can open localhost webpage even when I don't start xampp, I check process manager and xampp is not there.
I'm a bit concerned about program running behind the scene in general.
My question is: is this expected (I can open localhost or xampp is indeed running automatically). If it's the latter, how do I close that please ?
Thanks
I'm using latest version of xampp 1.7.7 on windows 7

[Altrea]

Please search for component services in your Windows services overview.
Most common: "Apache2.2" and "mysql"

best wishes,
Altrea

[mingon]

Thanks a lot, the services are indeed running, presumably xampp fires up those 2 services. So a follow-up question is how can that be the case given xampp is not started ? Apart from stopping them from the task manager, can I stop those services using xampp ?
Thanks again

[Altrea]

You can (un-)register XAMPP components as services in the control panel. right left besides the component name is a svc-checkfield. If checked, the control panel register that component as windows service so that it will get started with your windows start.

XAMPP is just a bundle of (loose coupled) common webserver applications. The control panel is just a central entry point. You can start/stop, use, register as service each component without the cp if you want to.

best wishes,
Altrea

[mingon]

Great, thanks a lot for the explanation