XAMPP is a free, open-source software package that provides a local web server environment for developing and testing websites on your computer.
XAMPP stands for X (Cross-Platform), Apache, MariaDB (formerly MySQL), PHP, and Perl. It simplifies setting up a development environment by bundling the web server (Apache), database (MariaDB/MySQL), and scripting languages (PHP, Perl) into one easy-to-install package.
It includes:
- Apache – the web server that delivers web pages.
- MySQL/MariaDB – the database system for storing data.
- PHP – the programming language for dynamic web pages.
- Perl – another scripting language (optional).
With XAMPP, you can run and test websites locally (on your own computer) without needing an internet connection, making it perfect for web development and learning.