PHP is one of the most popular languages for building websites and web applications. If you’re starting to learn PHP, the fastest and simplest way is to set up a local development environment on your computer. The most beginner-friendly solution is the XAMPP package, which installs and configures everything you need: a web server (Apache), PHP interpreter, and database (MariaDB/MySQL) with phpMyAdmin.

After reading this article, you will know:

why you need XAMPP to run PHP code locally,
where to place your files (htdocs directory),
how to open your site at http://localhost/ and start programming in PHP.

---

What You Need to Know Before Starting

PHP runs on the server side. Browsers cannot execute .php files directly — you need a server to process them and return HTML output.
The easiest way to start a local server is with XAMPP.
Your project files go into the htdocs directory. Then, in your browser, you open http://localhost/ to run them.
The simplest “Hello, world!” in PHP is an index.php file saved in htdocs (or a subfolder), opened via http://localhost/projectname/.

---

What Is XAMPP and What Does It Include?

XAMPP is a free package containing:

Apache – web server that handles your http://localhost requests,
PHP – PHP interpreter,
MariaDB/MySQL – databases often used by PHP applications,
phpMyAdmin – a web interface for managing databases,
additionally (optional): FileZilla, Mercury, Tomcat.

With XAMPP, you don’t install everything separately or worry about configuration — you can start programming in PHP within minutes.

What You Need Before Writing Your First Code

A computer with Windows, macOS, or Linux.
A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari).
A code editor (recommended: Visual Studio Code).
The XAMPP package for your system (download from apachefriends.org).

Optional for later learning: Git, Composer.

Installing XAMPP – Step by Step

Where to Download

Official site: https://www.apachefriends.org/
Choose a version with the latest PHP (e.g., 8.x), unless you need an older version for a specific project.

Windows

Download the .exe installer and run it.
Select components (Apache, MySQL/MariaDB, PHP, phpMyAdmin – you can uncheck the rest for now).
Installation path: default C:\xampp recommended (do not install in “Program Files” due to permissions).
After installation, open XAMPP Control Panel.
Click Start next to Apache and MySQL (icons should turn green).
Check in your browser: http://localhost/ – you should see the XAMPP welcome page.

Common paths:

htdocs: C:\xampp\htdocs
Apache config: C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf
php.ini: C:\xampp\php\php.ini
Apache logs: C:\xampp\apache\logs\error.log

macOS

Download the .dmg installer from Apache Friends.
Drag XAMPP into the Applications folder and run it.
In XAMPP Manager, start Apache and MySQL.
Open http://localhost/ in your browser.

Common htdocs paths:

/Applications/XAMPP/htdocs
or in some versions: /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/htdocs

In the XAMPP manager, the “Explore”/“Open Application Folder” button will take you directly to htdocs.

Linux

Download the .run installer (e.g., xampp-linux-x64-8.x.x-0-installer.run).
Grant permissions and run it:

   chmod +x xampp-linux-x64-8*.run
   sudo ./xampp-linux-x64-8*.run

Start/stop XAMPP:

   sudo /opt/lampp/lampp start
   sudo /opt/lampp/lampp stop

Check http://localhost/ in your browser.

Common paths:

htdocs: /opt/lampp/htdocs
php.ini: /opt/lampp/etc/php.ini

---

Running Services and Fixing Port Issues

In the XAMPP panel, start: Apache (web server) and MySQL (database).
If Apache doesn’t start:

* Port 80 or 443 might be in use (sometimes by Skype/Teams/others). Change their settings or update Apache ports:

* Windows: C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf – change Listen 80 to e.g., Listen 8080, then use http://localhost:8080/
* For HTTPS change in httpd-ssl.conf from 443 to e.g., 444.
* Run XAMPP as administrator (Windows) or use sudo (Linux).

After every config change, restart Apache.

---

Where to Place Files: htdocs Directory

Your PHP files must be in htdocs, as it’s the default directory from which Apache serves files.

Common locations:

Windows: C:\xampp\htdocs
macOS: /Applications/XAMPP/htdocs (or /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/htdocs)
Linux: /opt/lampp/htdocs

How to work:

In htdocs, create a folder for your project, e.g., “myfirstproject”.
Place an index.php file there.
Open in your browser: http://localhost/myfirstproject/

Note:

Don’t open PHP files via double-click or file:/// path — PHP won’t execute. Always use http://localhost/…

---

First PHP Code Examples

1) Hello, world!

Create an index.php file in your project folder inside htdocs.

<?php
// This is a PHP comment.
// echo outputs text to the browser:
echo "Hello, world! Welcome to PHP programming.";

Open: http://localhost/myfirstproject/

2) PHP Info (phpinfo)

Quick way to check PHP version and enabled extensions.

<?php
// The phpinfo() function displays PHP configuration details:
phpinfo();

Open in your browser to see all information.

3) Mixing HTML and PHP

This is the most common way to build pages in PHP.

<?php
$title = "My First PHP Page";
$year = date('Y');
?>
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <title><?php echo $title; ?></title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1><?php echo $title; ?></h1>
  <p>Today is: <?php echo date('Y-m-d H:i:s'); ?></p>
  <footer>&copy; <?php echo $year; ?></footer>
</body>
</html>

4) Reading Parameters from URL (GET)

Allows reacting to data from the URL.

<?php
// http://localhost/my_first_project/index.php?name=Anna
$name = $_GET['name'] ?? 'Guest'; // ?? operator sets a default value
?>
<p>Hello, <?php echo htmlspecialchars($name, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8'); ?>!</p>

Note: we use htmlspecialchars to secure HTML output against injections.

phpMyAdmin and Databases (Briefly)

To open phpMyAdmin: http://localhost/phpmyadmin/
You can create databases and tables for your PHP projects there.
To connect in code (later), use PDO or MySQLi. Example (for demonstration only):

<?php
// PDO connection (example — adjust password and database name):
$dsn = 'mysql:host=localhost;dbname=test;charset=utf8mb4';
$user = 'root';     // default in XAMPP root has no password (local only!)
$pass = '';

try {
    $pdo = new PDO($dsn, $user, $pass, [
        PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION
    ]);
    echo "Connected to database!";
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    echo "Connection error: " . $e->getMessage();
}

Recommended Editor and Setup

Install Visual Studio Code.
Open your project folder (inside htdocs).
Install the “PHP Intelephense” extension or the official PHP extension for code hints.
Save files in UTF-8 without BOM.
Work with .php files and run them via http://localhost/…

---

Useful Settings During Learning (php.ini)

Changing settings requires restarting Apache.

php.ini file:

Windows: C:\xampp\php\php.ini
macOS: /Applications/XAMPP/php/php.ini or /Applications/XAMPP/xamppfiles/etc/php.ini
Linux: /opt/lampp/etc/php.ini

Enable detailed errors in local environment:

display_errors = On
error_reporting = E_ALL

Set timezone:

date.timezone = Europe/Warsaw

Apache error log (when something doesn’t work):

Windows: C:\xampp\apache\logs\error.log
macOS/Linux: /opt/lampp/logs/errorlog (or in apache/logs folder)

---
Best Practices and Common Mistakes

Best Practices

Use http://localhost/ to run PHP files, don’t open them with file:///.

Keep projects in htdocs subfolders, e.g., htdocs/myproject.
Save files in UTF-8 without BOM.
After changing php.ini or server configuration — restart Apache.
Use echo for output, and always filter user data (htmlspecialchars).
At first, don’t change too many settings — keep the environment simple.
Update XAMPP and PHP when starting new projects (check compatibility).
Treat XAMPP as a local learning environment — don’t use it in production.

Common Mistakes

Placing files in the wrong folder (not in htdocs).
Not using the server (opening files directly instead of via http://localhost/).
Apache/MySQL not started in XAMPP panel.
Port 80/443 conflicts with other programs.
File has .html extension instead of .php — PHP won’t run.
Changing php.ini without restarting Apache — settings won’t apply.
Issues with special characters — missing UTF-8 or missing meta charset="utf-8".
On Windows, installing XAMPP in “Program Files” (permission issues).

---

Alternatives to XAMPP (For Later)

Laragon (Windows) – lightweight and fast.
MAMP (macOS/Windows) – user-friendly on macOS.
WAMP (Windows) – alternative for Apache+PHP+MySQL.
Docker – flexible container environment (for advanced users).
Built-in PHP server (php -S localhost:8000) – requires separate PHP installation, doesn’t replace database or full Apache setup.

For beginners, the best start is still XAMPP + htdocs + localhost.

Summary

To run PHP code, you need a server — the simplest option is XAMPP.
After installing XAMPP, start Apache and (optionally) MySQL in the panel.
Place your files in the htdocs directory:

* Windows: C:\xampp\htdocs * macOS: /Applications/XAMPP/htdocs (or …/xamppfiles/htdocs) * Linux: /opt/lampp/htdocs

Open your project in the browser at http://localhost/foldername/.
Start with a simple index.php and gradually add features.

After these steps, you can already write your first scripts and start learning PHP in practice.

Mini Quiz – Test Yourself

Why does PHP need a web server (like Apache) to run?

a) Because browsers don’t interpret PHP

b) Because PHP is a CSS language
c) Because it requires the internet

Where do you place your project files in XAMPP to run them at http://localhost/?

a) In any Desktop folder

b) In the htdocs directory
c) In the Documents folder

What address do you enter to run the folder myproject located in htdocs?

a) file:///C:/xampp/htdocs/myproject/

What do you do if Apache can’t start because port 80 is busy?

a) Restart the computer and forget it

b) Change the port in httpd.conf or free the port from another program
c) Delete the htdocs folder

After changing php.ini settings:

a) Do nothing, changes work immediately

b) You must restart Apache
c) You must reinstall XAMPP

How do you enable error display during learning?

a) displayerrors = On and errorreporting = E_ALL in php.ini

b) Turn off Apache
c) It’s not possible

Why is it worth using UTF-8 without BOM?

a) Because it looks nicer

b) To avoid problems with special characters and headers
c) Because it’s faster

How do you access the database management panel in XAMPP?

a) http://localhost/phpmyadmin/

Answers: 1a, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6a, 7b, 8a

Good luck learning and happy PHP coding!