How to Install a Localhost Server on Windows

In this tutorial, we will start off with the basics of installing a localhost server onto your computer. This will allow you to run files, such as PHP scripts, on your machine as though you were accessing them from a server on the web. It gives you a place to test your websites without the trouble of FTP and an internet connection. We will be installing WAMP server which stands for Windows Apache, MySQL, PHP. Let's get started.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A computer running Windows
• An Internet Connection

1. Open up your browser and go to:
   https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=116092
2. Select the latest version of WAMP and download it. You will want the file ending in .exe (which is the executable setup file).
3. Run the setup file.
4. Continue through the setup. You will need to agree to the terms of use agreement. You will also be prompted on where you want your localhost to be installed on your harddrive. I would recommend you leave it on the default setting. It will also ask you if you want WAMP to startup automatically. I would recommend that you do allow WAMP to startup automatically because otherwise, you will have to run it every time you want to work with the localhost.
5. Finish the installation and startup WAMP (this should be automatic if you keep the checkbox checked).
6. WAMP icon Now take a look at your taskbar. There should be a new icon in the tray. This is WAMP's icon, which allows you to see what state your server is in. If everything is white, then it is running smoothly.
7. Left click on the icon and select 'Localhost'. This will open up your browse to http://localhost/. This is your new localhost.
8. Left click on the icon and select 'www directory'. This will open up the directory in which all your localhost files are contained. This means that a file such as C:\wamp\www\file.php, would be accessable via http://localhost/file.php. Note that the file would only be executed as though it was accessed from a server if you used the http request.
9. You have successfully installed a localhost with the help of WAMP server.

Tips & Warnings

• Get the latest version of WAMP
• Allow any WAMP programs such as Apache in your firewall settings
• WAMP may not support Windows 98 or ME