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How to run PHP using XAMPP Apache Server?

XAMPP is a free, open-source cross-platform software that makes it easy to install and run Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl on your local computer. With XAMPP, you can set up a local server environment that allows you to develop and test your PHP applications before deploying them to a production server. In this article, we will guide you through the process of running PHP using XAMPP on your local computer.

Step 1: Download and Install XAMPP The first step is to download and install XAMPP on your local computer. You can download XAMPP from the Apache Friends website at https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html. Once you have downloaded the installer, run it to install XAMPP on your computer.

Step 2: Start Apache and MySQL Services After installing XAMPP, you need to start the Apache and MySQL services. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open XAMPP Control Panel by (In windows Search "xampp-control") running the "xampp-control" application in the XAMPP installation directory. 
  2. Click on the "Start" buttons next to the Apache and MySQL modules to start the services.
  3. Once the services are running, the status indicators should turn green.

Step 3: Create a PHP File Now that the Apache and MySQL services are running, you can create a PHP file to test your server. To create a new PHP file, follow these steps:

  1. Open a text editor such as Notepad or Visual Studio Code.
  2. Type the following code into the editor: 
    <?php
echo "Hello, world!";
?>
  3. Save the file with a .php extension, such as "hello.php".

  4. Step 4: Put PHP File in XAMPP htdocs folder Next, you need to put the PHP file you just created in the XAMPP htdocs folder. This folder is where you store your web pages and PHP files. To do this, follow these steps:

    1. Navigate to the XAMPP installation directory on your computer.
    2. Open the "htdocs" folder.
    3. Copy the PHP file you created and paste it into the "htdocs" folder.

    Step 5: Access the PHP File in a Web Browser Finally, you can access the PHP file you created in a web browser to test your local server. To do this, follow these steps:

    1. Open a web browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
    2. In the address bar, type "localhost/hello.php" (replace "hello.php" with the name of your PHP file).
    3. Press Enter to load the PHP file in the browser.

    If everything was done correctly, you should see the message "Hello, world!" displayed in your browser.

    XAMPP is an excellent tool for running PHP on your local computer. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can install XAMPP, start the Apache and MySQL services, create a PHP file, and test your local server in a web browser. With XAMPP, you can easily develop and test your PHP applications before deploying them to a production server.

PHP Interpreter

The PHP interpreter is a program that reads and executes PHP code. It takes the PHP source code as input and translates it into machine-readable code that can be executed by the server's CPU. Here is a brief explanation of how the PHP interpreter works:

  1. When a user requests a web page that contains PHP code, the web server recognizes that the file has a .php extension and sends it to the PHP interpreter for processing.

  2. The PHP interpreter reads the PHP code line by line, starting at the top of the file. It executes each line of code as it is read, performing any necessary calculations, variable assignments, or database queries.

  3. The interpreter can also include and execute other PHP files or external libraries that are referenced in the PHP code.

  4. If the PHP code in the file interacts with a database, the interpreter sends SQL queries to the database server and retrieves the results. It can then use this data to generate dynamic content for the web page.

  5. As the interpreter executes the PHP code, it generates output based on the instructions in the code. This output can be HTML, text, or other formats, depending on what the PHP code is designed to do.

  6. Once the interpreter has processed all of the PHP code in the file, it generates an output file that contains the output of the PHP code, including any dynamically generated content.

  7. This output file is then sent back to the web server, which sends it to the user's web browser for display.

The PHP interpreter is a powerful tool that allows web developers to create dynamic, interactive web pages that can interact with databases, perform complex calculations, and generate customized content for individual users. By translating PHP code into machine-readable code, the interpreter enables the creation of complex web applications that can provide users with a rich and engaging experience.