How to Install XAMPP on Debian 12

XAMPP, an acronym representing cross-platform (X), Apache (A) server, MariaDB (M), PHP (P), and Perl (P), is an all-encompassing software package that empowers users to effortlessly convert their local systems into a robust web server environment. This article shows the process of installing XAMPP on Debian, a popular Linux distribution.

The core components of XAMPP are:

  1. Apache: This is the cornerstone of XAMPP, responsible for delivering web content directly to your browser. It functions as the web server component, enabling your local system to host websites and manage web traffic effectively.
  2. MariaDB: As the database management system, MariaDB stores and manages all the data associated with your website.
  3. PHP: A powerful scripting language, PHP is predominantly used in web development. It enables dynamic and interactive features on websites.
  4. Perl: Known for its versatility, Perl is a programming language employed in web development, network programming, system administration, and more. Its adaptability and robustness make it an asset in various programming scenarios.

XAMPP's cross-platform compatibility is a key feature, supporting multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, and Solaris. This versatility makes it an ideal solution for web developers aiming to test web pages and applications across different environments. Using XAMPP, developers can ensure that their applications perform consistently regardless of the underlying operating system.

This guide offers step-by-step instructions on installing XAMPP on Debian systems. Debian's compatibility with XAMPP enhances the efficiency and reliability of development processes, making it an excellent choice for professionals seeking a stable development environment.

This article also provides insights into verifying the XAMPP installation. Users can confirm the successful setup of Apache, MariaDB, PHP, and Perl components by accessing specific URLs.

In summary, XAMPP is a great tool for web developers, offering a easy way to create a local server environment. With its comprehensive support for various operating systems, including Debian, XAMPP streamlines the web development process, ensuring that applications are thoroughly tested and optimized before deployment to live servers.

Installing XAMPP on Debian 12

To install and configure XAMPP on your system, follow the below procedure:

Step 1: Download the installation package

Click the below link to open Apache Friends webpage and then download the XAMPP package for Linux.

https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html

Download XAMPP for Linux

The Downloaded XAMPP package will be saved to your Downloads directory.

Step 2: Make the installation package executable

We will be using the command line Terminal for installing the XAMPP package. To launch the Terminal in Debian OS, go to the Activities tab in the top left corner of your desktop. Then in the search bar, type the keyword terminal. When the search result appears, click on the Terminal icon.

Now in the Terminal, run the following command to navigate to the ~/Downloads directory.

$ cd ~/Downloads

Now, to install the XAMPP package that we downloaded, we will need to make it executable. To do so, type "chmod 755” followed by the name of the XAMPP package in Terminal:

$ chmod 755 xampp-linux-x64-7.2.10-0-installer.run

Make downloaded script executable

If you need to verify the execute permission for the packages, use the following command in Terminal:

$ ls -l

Check XAMPP downloader

The –rwxr in the above output indicates the user can execute the package.

Step 4: Launch the Setup Wizard

Now launch the XAMPP installation wizard by using the following syntax in Terminal:

$ sudo ./[package-name]

Replace the package name with the XAMPP package name.

$ sudo ./xampp-linux-7.4.1-1-installer.run

Launch XAMPP

After running the above command, the following installation wizard will appear, leading you through the rest of the installation procedure. Click Next to initiate the installation process.

XAMPP setup wizard

Next, select the XAMPP components you want to install and click Next.

Choose components to be installed

The following screen shows the installation directory “/opt/lamp “where XAMPP will be installed. Click Next to continue.

Choose installation directory

Uncheck the box Learn more about Bitnami for XAMPP and click Next.

About XAMPP

Again, click Next.

Ready to install

Now, the installation will be started, and you will see the progress bar showing the progress of the installation process. Once the installation is finished, click the Next button.

Installing XAMPP

Next, you will see the following screen showing the installation is completed.

Launch XAMPP

If you do not want to run XAMPP right now, uncheck the option Launch XAMPP and click the Finish button to close the setup wizard.

Step 6: Launch XAMPP through the Terminal

To launch the XAMPP through the Terminal, run the following command:

$ sudo /opt/lampp/lampp start

How to start XAMPP on the shell

The above output shows that XAMPP is started and running. Please note that you must start XAMPP manually every time you reboot your system.

Step 7: Verify Installation

Now, to verify if XAMPP is installed and running, open the following link in your browser:

http://localhost

If you see a similar output, XAMPP is successfully installed and running.

XAMPP running successfully on Debian 10

To verify the installation of phpMyAdmin, go to the following link in your browser.

http://localhost/phpmyadmin

If you see a similar output, the phpMyAdmin is successfully installed and running.

PHPMyAdmin installed by XAMPP

Uninstall XAMPP

In case you want to uninstall and completely remove XAMPP from your system, follow the below procedure.

Navigate to the directory where the XAMPP is installed. To do so, run the following command in Terminal:

$ cd /opt/lampp

Then run the following command to uninstall XAMPP.

$ sudo ./uninstall

The following message will prompt on the screen, asking if you want to uninstall XAMPP and all of its modules. Click Yes to start the uninstall process.

Uninstall XAMPP

Once uninstalled, you will see the following message informing the uninstallation is completed. Click OK to close the dialog box.

Uninstall Completed

Now to remove the XAMPP files and directories, too, run the following command in Terminal:

$ sudo rm –r /opt/lampp

Remove directory

Now, XAMPP is uninstalled and completely removed from your system.

That is all there is to it! In this article, we have learned to install and set up XAMPP on a Debian system. We have covered step by step the entire procedure for XAMPP setup that including installation, execution, and verification. Ultimately, we also learned to uninstall XAMPP if we ever have to do that.