XAMPP

XAMPP is a free, open-source cross-platform web server solution stack designed for local development and testing. The name is an acronym: X stands for Cross-Platform, and the package includes Apache, MariaDB (formerly MySQL), PHP, and Perl. It is maintained by Apache Friends, a non-profit organization that distributes the software bundle to simplify setting up a local development environment.

The XAMPP distribution bundles the core components of a web server stack into a single installer. It provides the Apache HTTP Server, the MariaDB database server, PHP, and Perl, along with common development tools such as phpMyAdmin for database management. The goal is to enable developers to install and run a functional environment quickly without configuring multiple separate components.

XAMPP is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The package includes a simple control panel that allows users to start and stop the bundled services (such as Apache and MariaDB) and to access configuration utilities. While convenient for local development, XAMPP is not intended for production use in its default configuration; it should be secured and hardened before any exposure to the internet, or used behind appropriate network safeguards.

Licensing and scope: XAMPP is distributed under the GNU General Public License, with some components subject to their own licenses. It is widely used for learning PHP, developing websites locally, and testing configurations prior to deployment.