How to Install PHP on Apache in Windows?

PHP is a Hypertext Preprocessor, earlier it known as Personal Home Page. It is an open-source server (available for free) side scripting language (everything is implemented on the webserver) that is embedded into HTML and used for web development. PHP script starts with <?PHP and ends with?>. Some common features of PHP are:

• Open Source
• Platform Independent
• Used to create dynamic web pages
• Provides Security encryption
• Cost-Efficient
• Compatibility
• Website function faster

Facebook, Wikipedia, WordPress, Tumbler, and yahoo are some of the major companies using PHP

Why PHP on Apache?

PHP and MySQL both are compatible with an Apache server. These two are open source and easy to set up. PHP runs on many platforms like Windows, Linux, and Unix. Because of these advantages, PHP is used on Apache servers. Before installing the PHP make sure that the Apache server is already installed on your PC. 

How to Install PHP on Apache?

Follow the steps below in order to set up PHP on Apache without facing any difficulties.

Step 1: Visit the official website of PHP. Here you will find the two different packages called Non-Thread Safe and Thread Safe Packages. Download the zip folder under the Thread Safe section because we are working on Apache.

Step 2: Extract the files and rename the extracted file to PHP8.1(It’s completely on the user’s wish) and move to the directory where the Apache folder is located. Add the path to the system variables. To add the copied address to the system variables, search for Control Panel > System & Security > System > advanced system settings > Environment variables > System Variables > Path > Edit > New and paste the copied address.

Note: Make sure that both Apache and PHP extracted files should be in the same folder

Step 3: To check whether the PHP directory is added to the path of system variables or not. Open PowerShell as an administrator. Change PowerShell mode to the command prompt by entering the command cmd. Then type path hit enter if the directory path is visible on the screen, then the path is successfully added to the system variables. To know the version of the PHP type php -v and then hit enter

Step 4: Now it’s time to configure Apache for this open C: > Apache24 > conf > httpd.conf

Scroll down the httpd.conf file to the end and write the below three lines. In Apache, PHP is loaded as a module so load the module using  LoadModule, read PHP files with the file handler and finally add the PHP file located address within the double quotes

LoadModule php_module “C:\PHP8.1\php8apache2_4.dll”  

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php  .php

PHPIniDir “C:\PHP8.1”

Step 5: In the PHP8.1 directory there are two default configuration files “php.ini-development” and “php.ini-production. Copy-paste the “php.ini-development” and rename the copied file as “php.ini”

Step 6: Set ServerName parameter as localhost for this search (Ctrl+F) “ServerName” in “httpd.conf” file and set ServerName as localhost below the “#ServerName www.example.com:80” line ServerName localhost

Step 7: Open PowerShell in command prompt mode as an administrator and type “httpd –t” and hit enter. If everything is ok then it displays “Syntax OK”

Step 8: Specify the default PHP page. For this search for ” DirectoryIndex ” in httpd.conf file. Inside Dir-module add “index.php”

Step 9: Open htdocs folder which is present inside the Apache24 folder and create a PHP file with the below code and save it as index.php (users wish) for testing. To test the program, open your favorite browser and then type localhost and hit enter.

PHP CODE :

<?php

phpinfo();

?>

Running PHP code on Apache server

Now Apache server is ready to run PHP codes. Let’s understand how to run the first PHP code on the Apache server. For this open an editor write an example PHP code and save it in Apache24 > htdocs > projectfolder > filename.php. 

a projectfolder is your folder with your projectname and filename.php  is your filename which should store inside your projectfolder. Now it’s time to run the example program. For this open your favorite browser and then type “localhost/projectfolder/filename.php”. then it will show the below output