How to Download XAMPP Lite and Why You Should Use It
If you are looking for a simple and lightweight web development environment for Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl, you might want to consider using XAMPP Lite. In this article, we will show you what is XAMPP Lite, what are its benefits, and how to download it for Windows and Linux.
What is XAMPP Lite?
XAMPP Lite is a version of XAMPP, an open-source software package that provides an easy-to-install Apache distribution containing MariaDB, PHP, and Perl. XAMPP stands for Cross-Platform (X), Apache (A), MariaDB (M), PHP (P), and Perl (P).
XAMPP Lite is designed to be portable and consume less disk space and memory than XAMPP Full. It includes only the essential components of XAMPP, such as Apache, MariaDB, PHP, phpMyAdmin, and HeidiSQL. It also comes with a control panel that allows you to start and stop the services, configure settings, and access logs.
XAMPP Lite is available for Windows and Linux operating systems. You can download it as an installer or a ZIP file for Windows, or as a TAR.GZ file for Linux. You can also run it from a USB drive or a CD-ROM without installing it.
What are the Benefits of Using XAMPP Lite?
XAMPP Lite has several advantages over XAMPP Full, especially if you are looking for a fast and simple web development environment. Here are some of the benefits of using XAMPP Lite:
- It is smaller in size. XAMPP Lite takes up less than 200 MB of disk space, while XAMPP Full takes up more than 500 MB.
- It is faster in performance. XAMPP Lite consumes less CPU and RAM resources than XAMPP Full, which means it can run faster and smoother on your computer.
- It is easier to use. XAMPP Lite has fewer options and settings than XAMPP Full, which makes it simpler and more user-friendly. You can easily start and stop the services, change the ports, and access the web interfaces.
- It is more portable. XAMPP Lite can be run from a removable device, such as a USB drive or a CD-ROM, without installing it on your computer. This means you can carry your web development environment with you wherever you go.
Of course, XAMPP Lite also has some limitations compared to XAMPP Full. For example, it does not include some of the additional components of XAMPP, such as FileZilla FTP server, Mercury Mail server, Tomcat server, and Perl modules. If you need these components for your web development projects, you might want to stick with XAMPP Full.
How to Download XAMPP Lite for Windows
If you are using Windows as your operating system, you can download XAMPP Lite as an installer or a ZIP file. The installer will guide you through the installation process, while the ZIP file will allow you to extract XAMPP Lite to any location on your computer or a removable device. Here are the steps to download XAMPP Lite for Windows:
Step 1: Go to the XAMPP Lite Download Page
The first step is to go to the XAMPP Lite download page on SourceForge. You will see a list of available versions of XAMPP Lite for Windows and Linux. Each version has a different PHP version and system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
Step 2: Choose the Version that Suits Your Needs
The next step is to choose the version of XAMPP Lite that suits your needs. You should consider the following factors when choosing a version:
- The PHP version. You should choose a version that supports the PHP version that you need for your web development projects. For example, if you need PHP 7.4, you should choose a version that has PHP 7.4 in its name.
- The system architecture. You should choose a version that matches the system architecture of your computer or device. For example, if you have a 64-bit computer or device, you should choose a version that has x64 in its name.
If you are not sure about these factors, you can check them by following these steps:
- To check your PHP version, you can create a PHP file with the following code and run it on your web server:
<?php echo 'PHP Version: ' . phpversion(); ?>
You will see the PHP version displayed on your browser. - To check your system architecture, you can right-click on My Computer or This PC and select Properties. You will see the system type displayed under System.
Step 3: Download the Installer or the ZIP File
The next step is to download the installer or the ZIP file of the version that you have chosen. You can click on the name of the version to see more details and download options. You will see two files: one with .exe extension and one with .zip extension.
The .exe file is the installer that will guide you through the installation process. The .zip file is the compressed file that contains all the files and folders of XAMPP Lite. You can download either file depending on your preference.
To download the file, you can click on the green Download button next to the file name. You will see a pop-up window that shows the download progress and speed. You can also choose a different mirror site if the default one is slow or unavailable.
Step 4: Run the Installer or Extract the ZIP File
The next step is to run the installer or extract the ZIP file that you have downloaded. If you have downloaded the installer, you can double-click on it to start the installation process. You will see a welcome screen that asks you to select your language. After that, you will see a series of screens that ask you to agree to the license terms, choose an installation folder, and confirm your settings.
If you have downloaded the ZIP file, you can right-click on it and select Extract All or Extract Here. You will see a window that asks you to choose a destination folder for extracting XAMPP Lite. You can choose any folder on your computer or a removable device.
Step 5: Start Using XAMPP Lite
The final step is to start using XAMPP Lite for your web development projects. You can access XAMPP Lite’s control panel by going to the installation or extraction folder and double-clicking on xampp-control .exe. You will see a window that shows the status of the XAMPP Lite services, such as Apache and MariaDB. You can start and stop the services by clicking on the Start and Stop buttons. You can also change the ports, configure settings, and access logs by clicking on the Config and Logs buttons.
You can also access XAMPP Lite’s web interfaces by opening your browser and typing http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 in the address bar. You will see a welcome page that shows the XAMPP Lite version and some links to useful tools, such as phpMyAdmin, HeidiSQL, and XAMPP FAQs.
Congratulations! You have successfully downloaded and installed XAMPP Lite on your Windows computer or device. You can now use it to create and test your web development projects locally.
How to Download XAMPP Lite for Linux
If you are using Linux as your operating system, you can download XAMPP Lite as a TAR.GZ file. The TAR.GZ file is a compressed file that contains all the files and folders of XAMPP Lite. You can extract it to any location on your computer or a removable device. Here are the steps to download XAMPP Lite for Linux:
Step 1: Go to the XAMPP Lite Download Page
The first step is to go to the XAMPP Lite download page on SourceForge. You will see a list of available versions of XAMPP Lite for Windows and Linux. Each version has a different PHP version and system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
Step 2: Choose the Version that Suits Your Needs
The next step is to choose the version of XAMPP Lite that suits your needs. You should consider the following factors when choosing a version:
- The PHP version. You should choose a version that supports the PHP version that you need for your web development projects. For example, if you need PHP 7.4, you should choose a version that has PHP 7.4 in its name.
- The system architecture. You should choose a version that matches the system architecture of your computer or device. For example, if you have a 64-bit computer or device, you should choose a version that has x64 in its name.
If you are not sure about these factors, you can check them by following these steps:
- To check your PHP version, you can create a PHP file with the following code and run it on your web server:
<?php echo 'PHP Version: ' . phpversion(); ?>
You will see the PHP version displayed on your browser. - To check your system architecture, you can open a terminal and type the following command:
uname -m
You will see the system architecture displayed on your terminal.
Step 3: Download the TAR.GZ File
The next step is to download the TAR.GZ file of the version that you have chosen. You can click on the name of the version to see more details and download options. You will see one file with .tar.gz extension.
The .tar.gz file is the compressed file that contains all the files and folders of XAMPP Lite. You can download it by clicking on the green Download button next to the file name. You will see a pop-up window that shows the download progress and speed. You can also choose a different mirror site if the default one is slow or unavailable.
Step 4: Extract the TAR.GZ File
The next step is to extract the TAR.GZ file that you have downloaded. You can extract it to any folder on your computer or a removable device by following these steps:
- Open a terminal and navigate to the folder where you have downloaded the TAR.GZ file.
- Type the following command to extract XAMPP Lite to a folder named xampp:
tar xvfz xampp-linux-*-installer.run.tar.gz -C xampp
Replace * with the PHP version and system architecture of your chosen version. - Type the following command to change the ownership of the xampp folder to your user:
sudo chown -R YOURUSERNAME:YOURUSERNAME xampp
Replace YOURUSERNAME with your username.
Step 5: Start Using XAMPP Lite
The final step is to start using XAMPP Lite for your web development projects. You can access XAMPP Lite’s control panel by going to the xampp folder and typing the following command: sudo ./xampp-control-panel
You will see a window that shows the status of the XAMPP Lite services, such as Apache and MariaDB. You can start and stop the services by clicking on the Start and Stop buttons. You can also change the ports, configure settings, and access logs by clicking on the Config and Logs buttons.
You can also access XAMPP Lite’s web interfaces by opening your browser and typing http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 in the address bar. You will see a welcome page that shows the XAMPP Lite version and some links to useful tools, such as phpMyAdmin, HeidiSQL, and XAMPP FAQs.
Congratulations! You have successfully downloaded and installed XAMPP Lite on your Linux computer or device. You can now use it to create and test your web development projects locally.
Conclusion
XAMPP Lite is a version of XAMPP that provides a simple and lightweight web development environment for Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl. It has several benefits over XAMPP Full, such as smaller size, faster performance, easier use, and more portability. You can download XAMPP Lite for Windows or Linux as an installer, a ZIP file, or a TAR.GZ file. You can also run it from a USB drive or a CD-ROM without installing it.
If you are looking for a quick and easy way to set up a web server on your computer or device, you should give XAMPP Lite a try. It is a great tool for beginners and experts alike who want to create and test their web development projects locally.
We hope this article has helped you learn how to download XAMPP Lite and why you should use it. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy coding!
FAQs
What is the difference between XAMPP Lite and XAMPP Portable?
XAMPP Lite and XAMPP Portable are both versions of XAMPP that can be run from a removable device without installing them. However, XAMPP Lite is smaller in size and has fewer components than XAMPP Portable. XAMPP Portable includes some additional components that are not available in XAMPP Lite, such as FileZilla FTP server, Mercury Mail server, Tomcat server, and Perl modules.
How can I update XAMPP Lite?
To update XAMPP Lite, you need to download the latest version of XAMPP Lite from the XAMPP Lite download page and replace your existing installation or extraction folder with the new one. However, before you do that, you should back up your data and configuration files from your old folder to avoid losing them.
How can I uninstall XAMPP Lite?
To uninstall XAMPP Lite, you just need to delete the installation or extraction folder of XAMPP Lite from your computer or device. However, before you do that, you should stop all the services of XAMPP Lite from the control panel and back up your data and configuration files from the folder to avoid losing them.
How can I secure XAMPP Lite?
XAMPP Lite is not intended to be used as a production server, but as a development environment. Therefore, it is not very secure by default and should not be exposed to the internet or untrusted networks. However, if you want to secure XAMPP Lite for testing purposes, you can follow these steps:
- Change the default passwords of MariaDB, phpMyAdmin, and HeidiSQL from the web interfaces or the configuration files.
- Disable the components that you don’t need from the control panel or the configuration files.
- Enable SSL encryption for Apache from the control panel or the configuration files.
- Use a firewall or a router to block unwanted access to your computer or device.
Where can I find more information about XAMPP Lite?
You can find more information about XAMPP Lite from these sources:
- The XAMPP website, which provides general information about XAMPP and its components.
- The XAMPP documentation, which provides detailed instructions on how to use XAMPP and its components.
- The XAMPP forum, which provides support and feedback from other users of XAMPP.
- The XAMPP blog, which provides news and updates about XAMPP.
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