A Lamp Stack is a set of open-source software, consist of Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, that can be used to create an environment to develop web apps and websites.
LAMP is an acronym for:
- L – Linux Operating System
- A – Apache Web Server
- M – MySQL Database
- P – PHP Programming Language
These four software stack and support each other to host an environment that gives tools to developers to create an application for the web.
To understand what is LAMP, we have to understand each of the parts of LAMP.
LAMP Operating System: Linux
The operating system is the first layer. The operating system managed all the other software and communication between them. It sets the foundation for all the other software to work on.
Linux is a Unix like, open-source and free OS with an actively engaged community. In fact, it is one of the most popular and praised operating system in the world.
Alternative of Linux:
- Windows
- MacOS
LAMP HTTP Web Server: Apache
Apache Web Server is a second layer. A Web Server is a software that dispenses the web pages when the browser requests them. Apache Web Server is the most widely used free and open-source software.
Alternative of Apache:
- Nginx
- IIS
- Cherokee
LAMP Database: MySQL Database
MySQL is a relational database management software and it is also free and open source. MySQL is used to store the data of web site and applications. The data can be fetched with the SQL language.
MySQL is a powerful RDBMS that can handle large amounts of data.
Alternative of MySQL:
- MariaDB
- Drizzle
LAMP Programming Language: PHP
PHP is a server-side scripting language best suited for web development. It works excellently with Apache to create dynamic web pages. Free and open-source, it is one of the most popular languages.
The PHP layer sits on the top of the stack.
Alternative of PHP:
- PERL
- Python
Note: However, all the components have the alternative that can be used but then the resultant stack would not be the LAMP stack.
Alternative of LAMP
Though LAMP is an amazing stack to create web sites, it is not the single one.
The PHP server stacks are flexible and you replace any of the layers with a substitute. You can also use two instead of one.
Popular alternative of LAMP:
- LEMP – Linux/Nginx/MySQL/PHP
- MAMP – Mac/Apache/MySQL/PHP
- WAMP – Windows/Apache/MariaDB/PHP
Again, Apache is replaceable with Nginx, IIS or any other web server. MySQL can be replaced by the MariaDB or MongoDB. It depends on the needs of the project.
Why LAMP stack is popular?
LAMP stack is so popular because of its simplicity and the powerful software combination. It enables the developers to create an application of big size that can manage loads of concurrent traffic.
LAMP server is flexible and the functionality could be extended by adding the more software to the stacks.
How do I download lamp?
To install LAMP stack, you should have Linux, to begin with.
After the Linux, you can install each software separately.
Install Apache:
Run the following command to install the Apache:
sudo apt-get install apache2Install MySQL Database:
You can run the following code to install the MySQL:
sudo apt-get install mysql-serverInstall PHP:
Finally, for the PHP, run this command:
sudo apt-get install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysqlThe process is straightforward and starts working in a few minutes. The environment is beginner friendly, which adds to the reason for its popularity.
Wrapping Up
So now you have the answer of What is LAMP stack. You do have more than basic knowledge of the LAMP server, however, there is so much to study about the stack if you want to go in-depth.
If there is any doubt regarding the topic, leave it in the comment box below.
