XAMPP

A newer version of XAMPP is available.

• 3.0 stars

  "Not recommended for up-and-coming web developers."

  March 30, 2011  |   By toughtech

  Pros

  Easy install on multiple platforms. Great for "getting it to work".

  Cons

  Doesn't teach people how to properly configure and setup a web server.
  Default install is unacceptable for production environment, (Insecure) even though some people intend to use it that way.

  Summary

  Although it is a great product for people who only have a passing interest in being a website developer, maintainer, etc., XAMPP should not EVEN BE CONSIDERED by a person who intends to make a living doing web design.
  
  Why? Because XAMPP allows people to remain ignorant of the many things that it takes to get a web server up and running, and to optimize it once it IS running.
  
  XAMPP is perfect for people who "don't read the manual", because it provides a working environment without any need for the people to intervene.
  
  A better knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes is an important step to becoming a good web application designer. If you don't know the difference between a MySQL persistent connection in PHP running as an Apache Module vs. PHP running under FastCGI, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS USING XAMPP.
  
  The question might arise, "How hard is it, really, to install php, perl, apache, etc.?"
  
  The answer? Not that bad. My first install was when I was 12, and it took me 2 hours, INCLUDING DOWNLOAD TIME. Since then, I can usually complete an installation in 20-30 minutes. While you may not find it that easy, here is my advice to you: READ THE MANUAL.
  
  It's not like the people that develop these things TRY to make it hard on you!
  
  On a side note, I ask "XAMPP for Linux?!!" Why would you need it when most of the things in XAMPP come preinstalled on the server distros, and can be added with a simple "pacman" or "apt get" command?
  
  One last thing. The largest excuse I have heard for using XAMPP is "I only use it on my developer machine, and then I upload it to another web server." Bad news for you my friend! XAMPP is indeed a (casual) developers dream come true, but when you take that perfectly working web application of yours, and upload it to the web, all of a sudden, you realize that your developer machine has a different CONFIGURATION than your webserver, and worse than that, you don't even know how to access the configuration file, what to do when you do find it, and what those errors about "open_basedir" and "Can't find in include_path" even mean.
  I feel sorry for you, but not too much. I did my reading earlier, you get to do it later. Either way, you end up learning it.
  
  So now reader...What do you think?
  
  --
  techdude a.k.a. tough tech.

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