XAMPP is a local server stack that can be quite helpful should you decide to code and build your own websites. Especially if your work involves PHP or WordPress.
However, since the interface is mostly command line, some beginners can run into issues while dealing with the XAMPP stack. In this post, we go over how you can install XAMPP on Ubuntu.
P.S. I’ll be installing the stack on my Linux Mint but the steps are exactly the same for Ubuntu.
Also read: XAMPP vs LAMP vs WAMP vs MAMP
Installing the XAMPP stack
First up, head over to the Apache Friends website and download the XAMPP package file. Click on the XAMPP by Linux link and save the download file.
Step 1: Installing the package
Fire up the terminal and navigate to the directory where you have download the XAMPP package file. Then execute this command:
chmod 755 xampp-linux-x64-7.2.10-0-installer.run
This command essentially gives the package file the permissions it needs to run properly on the system. Note that your package name can be different, so be sure to cross-check once.
You can further confirm run permissions using this command
ls -l xampp-linux-x64-7.2.10-0-installer.run
If you get the -rwxr flag, it means you’re good to go.
Also read: Should You Build or Buy a Gaming PC? What’s Best in 2019?
Step 2: Running the setup wizard
Now that the file permissions are set, you can run the package file by typing
sudo ./xampp-linux-7.2.10-0-installer.run
This will launch the graphical setup wizard for XAMPP. Here onwards you can simply follow along with the setup wizard just like any other program.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to be careful while selecting the packages you need to install. If you miss out on something, the only sure-shot way of making sure you get a proper installation is to do the whole process again.
Step 3: Launching the XAMPP Stack
To launch the XAMPP stack enter the following command in the terminal:
$ sudo /opt/lampp/lampp start
The output will show you that the stack has started and everything is running properly. However, if you run into any troubles, especially with MySQL and ProFTPD, you can try installing net-tools
sudo apt install net-tools
Keep in mind that you’ll have to manually start the XAMPP stack every time you reboot your system.
Step 4: Verifying your installation
The easiest way to verify your installation is to simply open the browser and go to https://localhost and you’ll see a webpage with apache configuration.
Also read: How to update Kali Linux
