Something we've ben pretty stubborn about @ designguru is developing CMS-based sites from scratch in a hosted environment.  The logic was simple: we not only want to get an accurate picture of how the sites will perform on their eventual hosting platform, but develop our perception of the sites we build as independent entities.

Recently, I've discovered something which challenged this approach to building Joomla sites and won: its called XAMPP and is quite simply fantastic!

XAMPP is a combined distribution of Apache server, MySQL, PHP, Perl which comes in 4 flavours: Linux, Windows, OS X and even Solaris!  With one simple install you now have a complete hosting solution thats robust enough to whip up advanced Joomla sites right there @ the beach on your macbook! :)

Not to say that I suddenly don't think server-side development has its ephemeral benefits but wow, once you start developing sites from your own computer you realize how much time is routinely wasted waiting for your server to catch up to you!  Its truly amazing and joyous how much faster site development occurs in a local XAMPP environment.

Oh, and one of the nicest things about XAMPP is that you don't have to be an uber-geek to get things going -  the package installs easily and includes phpMyAdmin (ie. a GUI for your database)!  Combine that power with a dynamic-dns host (like no-ip ) and you can plug your laptop into a Net connection anywhere in the world and demo your site development to colleagues or clients at a human-readable URL!

Of course, we still highly recommend spending some time towards the end of your project schedule beta testing any site you develop in its (external ie. non-XAMPP) hosted environment. 

Comments (7) >>

XAMPP for Mac? Does it work well?
written by Zack, June 17, 2007

Hey there, I noticed from your screenshots you are probably a Mac user. Are you using XAMPP for Mac OS X? The site says it is beta and to use at your own risk, but I'm curious "beta" (ie. unstable) is it? Thanks!

Web-Developer Controller is XAMPP for nerds
written by Nick Steele, June 28, 2007

WDC includes Apache 2, PHP, MySQL, Joomla, mod-SSL, mod-security, Perl, Drupal, and a plethora of other CMS/BB systems and other features that XAMPP does not include. WDC is also the "real-thing". It installs the software in it's native state, so workable that you can plop it on a real web server and nearly "fuggetaboudit". WDC is also free with no ads or no threat of greedy evilness in the near future. I tossed XAMPP out the window months ago in favor of WDC, everyone else should too (unless XAMPP somehow got much better these past few months?).

Right On!
written by Duke, July 07, 2007

I recently discovered XAMPP and your comments are right on! I love it! Its now my first step in designing templates or testing a new component/module, then the second step is to test it online in a test folder to make sure it its going to work in the REAL WORLD. Its great for testing/tweaking! Saves a lot of time!

Need Instructions on configuring Xampp with Joomla 1.5
written by Doug Reagin, December 21, 2007

Does anyone have instructions on how to configure Xampp with Joomla 1.5? I've installed Xampp on a Mac running 10.4.11 but I'm not sure where to go from there (i.e. how should I configure xampp and how do I get Joomla running with Xampp).

Google video
written by WDG, January 04, 2008

Hi Doug Reagin, here'a a video showing you how to do it. Very well done vid! But it's only for XP n vista for now
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2827439702877789988

spox
written by spox, April 24, 2008

you have a good information about xampp here, thank.

...
written by Valis, June 03, 2008

If the 'demo' you're doing is on the same machine XAMPP is running on, just modify your hosts file to point any www.blah.com to 127.0.0.1 and you'll achieve a 'human readable' url without dealing with dynamic ip resolution and corporate firewall issues.

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