20 Best Alternatives to XAMPP Server: Xampp is among the most popular web server that can be used on Windows and Linux OS. It is an open-source application that is widely used by programmers for website development and testing purpose. Web servers form an integral part of the development process. Every activity done on the Internet gets stored somewhere first, in order to be accessible to the users. Server stations serve the purpose of storing data, information, documents of any sort.
If you are on the lookout for XAMPP alternatives, then here is the best guide for you. Here, we will go through the 20 best XAMPP alternatives that can assist programmers in various tasks. Below we will find out a bit about servers, and XAMPP server, before looking at the alternatives of XAMPP.
What are the Servers?
As already mentioned earlier, servers are responsible for storing information to be available on the web for users. We can broadly see two types of servers viz; web server and app server.
However, in reality, there are servers for almost everything, depending on how they work. For example; if it is for storing videos and images, then it is known as the image-video server, for emails – a mail server, for chat apps – a chat server, etc.
So, a server acts as the collection point for some information stored by a user from one end and made available to someone seeking that data or information on another end.
When the server of a website or application receives massive traffic or doesn’t get maintained for some time, then users can experience, what is famously known as “Server Down.”
What is the role of the XAMPP Server?
XAMPP is the abbreviation of (X)Cross-Platform, (A) Apache, (M) MySQL, (P) PHP, And (P) Perl. It is an open-source web server on which users can run PHP, My SQL, and Apache to make their website accessible through this server to everyone.
Developers can also develop a local webserver with a XAMPP server as it is capable of taking care of server applications, database management systems, coding languages along network programming. XAMPP server is also a preferred choice for testing.
But if you want to find out other alternatives to the XAMPP server, then you can read ahead to find more alternative options.
Quick Overivew
20 best XAMPP Alternatives
Let us find out the features of the best alternatives of XAMPP servers in this segment of the article.
WampServer
WampServer is a very popular tool that is used to create websites using applications like PHP. It comes with three major tools which include PHP, MySQL, and Apache. WampServer works only for Microsoft Windows Operating System. So, ideally, WampServer is a tool to make web applications and PHP developments.
WampServer is available in many languages and thus, no matter whichever language you use, you can always see the elements from the browsers comfortably. You can either try the online or the offline mode, as both work equally well.
Featurewise, WampServer can accommodate all the next versions of PHP, Apache, and MySQL into it comfortably. If accessibility is a matter of concern for you, then you can restrict it to a local host; otherwise, you can give access to everyone in this case.
System Support: Microsoft Windows
ServerPress
ServerPress is a tool that can work both on macOS and Windows. With a Desktop server, local installations of WordPress become super easy. As a workflow partner, we would ensure you have to spend the least time doing all those things that you require to do and have time to do all those things that you desire to do.
So, what all features work best with us?
Creating a locally installed WordPress site in a brief period of time, completely optimized local AMP stack, SSL, and PHL 7 support is made possible with ServerPress.
System Support: Mac & Windows
EasyPHP
EasyPHP is another popular yet easy to use server to develop websites. If your main focus is on coding and you don’t want to bother about the rest of the configurations, then this is the best tool to use. It can get you PHP and MySQL for database management and also provides the scripting language.
Even as a beginner, you can try EasyPHP for development purposes. Try to work around applications like Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal, etc.
But hosting websites is not possible using EasyPHP ideally. It can enable offline hosting in your machine, and that can make it easy for you to operate it. Instead, if you’re looking for a WAMP environment, then try the EasyPHPDevServer for that purpose.
System Support: Windows
Local by FlyWheel
Local is all about speed and is an overly simplified process. Years have gone into designing Local by FlyWheel, and with it, you can build WordPress sites extremely fast.
Local by FlyWheel allows you to save all files, including the config files, databases, and local settings swiftly.
Here are a few features that can help you immensely. Simple Demo URLS is very much possible with it, and it allows you to show off your work in seconds. Hassle-free local SSL support, one-click WordPress installation, and a lot more are possible with this software.
Flexible environment options are absolutely feasible with Local by Flywheel, and it also offers hot-swapping between NGINX and Apache 2, 4 or a switch between PHP versions easily.
System Support: Mac, Linux, & Windows
UwAmpServer
UwAmpServer uses tools like SQLite, Apache, and PHP integrations. If a user decides to test web applications on an offline basis, then it can actually be done without using any internet connection. The best part is, the tool does not need an installation instead, and you can carry it in a zipped folder if you want.
Users usually find the UwAmpServer very interactive. You can find a lot of information and can also check the configuration settings easily. Running a new PHP release with the UwAmp server is absolutely possible. Users can pull up the CPU usage data comfortably and can also run the flash disk using the UwAmpServer.
System Support: Mac & Windows
AMPPS
With cross-platform support, AMPPS installs complete elements needed for a web server (WAMP/MAMP/LAMP) offering features like Apache, MySQL, Perl, Python, PHP, and MongoDB.
With AMPPS, you can create and manage local domains, databases, and install more than 390 websites and services. It has a beautiful UI and comes with the Domain Administrator feature and auto-installation tool for multiple web apps.
System Support: Mac & Windows
MAMP
MAMP stands for Mac OS X, Apache, MySQL, PHP and is a variant of the LAMP. With this, you can run a Live Web Server from your Macbook.
MAMP offers the necessary tools to run and test WordPress and various other desktop apps. MAMP has a GUI (graphical user interface) to manage a local webserver. Above everything, MAMP can work with any sort of coding language.
System Support: Mac & Windows
Abyss Web Server
An impressive multiplatform personal web server with HTTP / 1.1 support and several other features like anti-piracy control, anti-leeching system, and much more is offered by Abyss Web Server.
This is, therefore, an excellent alternative to the XAMPP server. It is compatible with SSI directives and SSL/TLS.
System Support: Mac & Windows
Apache HTTP Server
Here is another useful substitute for XAMPP Server which is developed by Apache Software Foundation. Website makers can serve web content using this server.
It supports SSL, TLS, proxy services, virtual hosting, and a lot more. Impressive features of this server are session tracking, Perl, Lua, and PHP support, URL tracking, and handling multiple request processing modes, etc.
System Support: Linux & Windows
The Uniform Server
With The Uniform Server, developers can verify and validate HTML coding primarily. This server only runs on Windows OS and includes Apache, Perl, PHP as well as MySQL.
The best part about The Uniform Server is that it doesn’t need to be installed and can be customized according to one’s needs.
Denwer
Denwer is a Russian server tool that contains a stack of PHP, Apache, MySQL, phpMyAdmin, Perl, and a Virtual host management system. It is used by developers for the development and debugging of websites.
Installation is easy, and it offers a lot of customization options to the users. After installation, developers can begin coding in PHP.
SecureWamp
With this web server, you can use it either for development purposes or for production settings. A centralized GUI helps to control settings. If you want to host your website securely, then SecureWamp offers the best option.
DesktopServer
This is a big competitor of XAMPP and can be used for the development as well as testing of the WordPress platform. It is quite a user-friendly tool, and a whole new website can be made with just a few clicks.
Laragon
If you want a server to assist in rapid web development with a powerful and less space-consuming server, then this is the ideal choice. It uses its own service instead of Windows services.
Winginx
Frequently used by Nginx users, this local web server is used by programmers on Windows OS to develop multiple projects, execute testing tasks, and to launch local websites. It is easy to install and also supports PHP, MongoDB, MySQL, and NodeJS.
USB Webserver
You don’t have to install this software as it can run directly from your USB, hence the name USB Webserver. With this server application, you can develop PHP websites. Not only this, but you can alsoget access to PHP, Apache, phpMyAdmin, and Mini Relay.
BAMP
BAMP stands for Brew, Apache, MongoDB, PHP, and functions on macOS. It can manage the local server with the help of the Homebrew toolkit.
EasyPHPDevserver
This is a Windows-based server with support for PHP, Apache MySQL, NGINX, PostgreSQL, Python. EasyPHPDevserver can help you set up a local server for development.
Devilbox
Our next pick is Devilbox which offers LAMP and MEAN along with PHP stack support. It can help in the development of an uncountable number of projects with SSL certificates, DNS records, etc.
FoxServ
This software server works on MS Windows and Linux and offers PHP installer, MySQL, along with Apache. It supports programming language like PHP module, PEAR, and the Zend Opt.
Final Words
So, this was a complete roundabout of 20 best XAMPP alternatives. I hope that you can pick a server of your choice from this article and utilize it as per your need.
