Installing PHP server and running index.php on localhost.
The easiest way to work with PHP is to install it on your personal computer.
Therefore, it is necessary for your computer to become a web server first. This is possible by installing an application capable of accepting requests and sending web pages in response.


The easiest way to get everything ready to work with PHP under Windows is an "All in one" package. I will briefly describe the steps required to install XAMPP, an application that includes the Apache web server, the PHP interpreter, the MySQL database management system and the phpMyAdmin database management application.

Download XAMPP. Go to https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html -> Download XAMPP.
Install XAMPP (keeping the default settings).
Note: You must uninstall Apache, PHP or MySQL from your computer (if you already have them) before installing XAMPP.

Start the XAMPP program (most of the time it will start automatically)
Note: For firewall warnings (Windows XP / Vista / 7 or any other security application) you must choose "Allow" or "Unblock", otherwise the web server may not work.

Open XAMPP and start Apache and MySql.
Once started click Admin ... in the Apache direction.
Save the test file to location C: \ xampp \ htdocs. Give it a suggestive name, like test.php. You can edit the file so that it contains the following sequence:
Test
<? php print "Hello, you have succeeded! Here is your first PHP script"; ?>
Rename the file index.php or index.html as you want.

In a browser go to http: // localhost / (or http://127.0.0.1/). A page with links to the files / folders in the Document Root that can be accessed will be displayed. Click on test.php. Another way to access a file is to go directly to http: // localhost / [folder] / [file_name] .php, for example http: //localhost/test.php.
By accessing http: //localhost/test.php a white page with the message Hello should be displayed, you have succeeded! Here is your first PHP script.

Remember! All PHP files you write (including test files taken from this site) * must * be stored in the Document Root folder (default location is C: \ Program Files \ xampp \ htdocs). The local web server installed by XAMPP will only search the files in this location. If the files are saved elsewhere they will not be available.




PHP Install - php tutorial