This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Apache is one of the most powerful and flexible web servers\r\navailable. Most people assume Apache is only for the UNIX/Linux/BSD environment\r\n- which is a false assumption. Thanks to countless developers, Apache is also\r\navailable for the Windows platform in the form of WAMP (Windows Apache, MySQL,\r\nPHP). Of course, if you’ve used Apache on its native platform, you know that,\r\nto the uninitiated, it can be a little daunting to install and set up. For most\r\nUNIX/Linux/BSD admins – those used to working within the command line, it’s a\r\npiece of cake. Windows users? Not so much. Thankfully there are a number of\r\ndifferent WAMP servers out there that make the process of installing and\r\nconfiguring the Apache server a snap.
\r\n\r\n
I have found five such WAMP servers, all of them free. Each\r\noffers a varying degree of difficulty as well as feature sets. But all of them\r\nwill enable you to get a WAMP server up and running quickly. Once that server\r\nis running, you can begin the process of creating your content.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nWAMP Server is an outstanding choice\r\nfor those looking for a solid Apache server on a Windows desktop. This\r\nparticular take on the WAMP server offers a great user interface for quick\r\naccess to: WWW directory, Apache configurations, PHP configurations, MySQL\r\nconfigurations, quick start/stop for all services. WAMP Server also offers\r\nplenty of Apache, PHP, and MySQL add-ons to further extend your server. With\r\nthe inclusion of PhpMyAdmin, you can easily manage your MySQL databases connected\r\nto the Apache server. This means you can install third-party software like WordPress, Drupal, Xoops,\r\nand Joomla.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
\r\n\r\nSecure WAMP is another take on the WAMP\r\nserver that can have you up and running in minutes. With this server you’ll get\r\nthe usual tools, plus the Mercury Mail server and (as loadable add-ins) Python\r\nand Perl. One unique feature to Secure WAMP is the ability to easily choose\r\nbetween development and production settings. Secure WAMP has a centralized\r\ncontrol panel where all services can be controlled. With the help of a 1-click\r\ninstaller, you can add quickly install applications like phpBB, WordPress, and\r\nmore.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
\r\n\r\n
EasyPHP is one of the\r\nmore powerful WAMP servers available. With an admin module that offers tools\r\nlike: Backup, bandwidth Throttle, DNS Admin, permission Manager, PHPInfo,\r\nphpSysInfo, user shadowing, updates, cron Manager, password protected\r\ndirectories, metatag generator, and more – EasyPHP makes for a highly\r\nconfigurable web server. Database management is handled by PhpMyAdmin and you\r\ncan set up FTP accounts (with FTP Jailing), manage domains, and much more. If\r\nyou’re looking for ease of use along with power and flexibility, EasyPHP is the\r\nWAMP you want.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
\r\n\r\nUwAMP is unique in that you can either\r\ninstall the server or run it as a portable application (in U3 Mode). This means\r\nyou can carry a powerful development server with you, everywhere you go. Like\r\nthe other entries here, UwAMP offers an easy to use interface as well as:\r\nMulti-PHP versions and CPU monitoring (real time Apache and MySQL monitoring).\r\nFrom the single-window control panel you can get an at-a-glance status update\r\nof the server as well as quick access to all of the configuration folders.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
\r\n\r\n
Uniform Server\r\nis a lightweight version of the Apache server (coming in at under 10MB).\r\nUniform Server offers the full Apache server as well as a PHP mini server. The\r\nPHP mini server offers a graphical interface for the built-in PHP web server.\r\nFeatures of Uniform Server include: High security, portable version, quick\r\naccess to all server settings, full host of logs, Perl scripting, and more.\r\nThis is another great solution for anyone that wants to carry around a full\r\nApache server on a USB drive. When you unpack Uniform Server, you will find two\r\ndifferent executables: One to start Uniform as a program and one to start\r\nUniform as a service. To run as a portable version, simply double-click the “run\r\nas program” file and you’re good to go.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
\r\n\r\nThere\r\nare so many reasons why Apache is one of the most used web servers on the\r\nplanet. Not only is it incredibly powerful and flexible, it’s also a\r\ncross-platform server that can be used on nearly any operating system. Give one\r\nof these WAMP servers a try and see if you’re not serving up web content from\r\nyour Windows machine with little to no fuss.
\r\n\r\n
Credit: Images by Jack\r\nWallen for TechRepublic
\r\n\r\nThis\r\ngallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.
Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic, The New Stack, and Linux New Media. He's covered a variety of topics for over twenty years and is an avid promoter of open source. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website jackwallen.com.
