Localhost is the name for the local server on our computer. Basically a computer is a server, and a server is a computer. However, the term server is more often used for computers that are accessed by many people through other computers. This means that we can access the virtual server from a computer using a computer or other media as long as the access port is open.
So when we create a web-based application, we automatically have to put the application on the web server so that it can run and can be accessed by users. This means that we have to install the application on a computer that is positioned as a web server that already has a web server application that can be used by web-based applications. If we rent hosting for our website, of course there are already installed web server applications such as Apache, Nginx, Litespeed, and others based on Linux. As for the Windows-based OS, usually it has been published by Microsoft itself.
Here are the types of localhost web servers that friends usually get for free:
- Xampp. Xampp is a developer application program that is useful for developing PHP and MySQL-based websites. The latest version of this program is XAMPP 1.7.7, which was released in 2011. The Xampp software is created and developed by Apache Friends.
- Wamp Server. Wamp Server is an application that can turn friends' computers or laptops into a server or can be said to be an offline server. The use of this wamp server is to create your own local network in the sense that friends can create offline websites which are usually for Joomla, WordPress, etc. Wamp server can only be used for the Windows operating system, so Linux users cannot use this application. Actually the function of this wamp server is the same as Xampp.
- AMPPS. It is a webserver application created by SOftaculous and can be used either as a localhost webserver or online, because AMPPS already supports many applications, a control panel that can be accessed via a browser and has been integrated with all settings such as hosting panels and can also directly set domain settings and so on. Softaculous Auto installer is also included here, although to use this Auto installer it is required to have an internet connection.
- UWamp. Is a software package consisting of apache, mysql, phpmyadmin, php, perl, freetype2, etc. UWamp serves to facilitate the installation of a php environment, where usually a web development environment requires a web. By using UWamp, we do not need to install these applications one by one.
- EasyPHP. Is a WAMP (Windows Apache MySql PhpMyAdmin) interface software that can run sql-based cms websites on localhost windows (offline). This software helps in testing cms before uploading to webhosting.
