XAMPP review
A free, open-source bundle for building and testing PHP applications locally.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
XAMPP is a free, open-source Apache distribution for developers building and testing PHP applications locally. It combines the Apache web server with MariaDB, PHP, Perl, phpMyAdmin, and related development tools in installers for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The package is aimed at developers who want a local environment with several core components available together, rather than teams looking for a production hosting platform or a narrowly focused web server package.
There is no paid tier structure to compare: XAMPP is distributed as free software. Its breadth is the main reason to consider it. Alongside the core Apache, MariaDB, PHP, Perl, and phpMyAdmin components, the bundle includes Webalizer, plus the XAMPP Control Panel, Mercury Mail Transport System, FileZilla FTP Server, and Tomcat with a mod_proxy_ajp connector on Windows. This makes the Windows package particularly broad, while Linux and macOS users receive a smaller set of platform-specific tools. The included components can reduce the need to assemble a local PHP stack individually.
The trade-off is scope. Apache Friends documents XAMPP as a development environment, so it fits local application work better than production hosting. The published positioning also does not include HTTP/2, HTTP/3, or WebSocket support, which matters for projects that require those web-server capabilities. Apache Friends provides downloads, FAQs, release information, and community forums, giving users several routes for documentation and community assistance. Choose XAMPP when a free, bundled PHP environment is the priority; choose another option when production deployment or modern protocol support is central.
XAMPP pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free, open-source distribution for local development
- Bundles Apache, MariaDB, PHP, Perl, and phpMyAdmin
- Supports Windows, Linux, and macOS
- Where it doesn't
- Designed for development rather than production hosting
- HTTP/2, HTTP/3, and WebSocket support are not supplied
- Several bundled tools are Windows-only
XAMPP fact sheet, pricing and score →
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