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Introduction: Why PHP?
This article will guide you through setting up a PHP development environment on Ubuntu 24.04. We will start with a simple setup using the built-in PHP server and then move on to a more robust environment with Apache2. We will use Visual Studio Code (VS Code) or Notepad++ as our text editor.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. Preparing the Development Environment
First, ensure your system is up to date:
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade
2. Optional: Installing VS Code, Notepad++, Jed, or Micro Editor
Installing VS Code:
Setting Up a PHP Development Environment on Ubuntu 24.04
Introduction: Why PHP?
No matter what you think of PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), it has been instrumental in powering a significant portion of the web. Its ease of use, extensive library support, and robust community make it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced developers. Despite the rise of newer languages and frameworks, PHP continues to be relevant due to its continuous evolution and widespread adoption in web development.
This article will guide you through setting up a PHP development environment on Ubuntu 24.04. We will start with a simple setup using the built-in PHP server and then move on to a more robust environment with Apache2. We will use Visual Studio Code (VS Code) or Notepad++ as our text editor.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. Preparing the Development Environment
First, ensure your system is up to date:
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade
2. Installing VS Code or Notepad++
Installing VS Code:
sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https wget wget -q https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add - sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable main" sudo apt update sudo apt install code
Installing Notepad++:
Notepad++ is primarily a Windows application, but it can be run on Ubuntu using Wine.
- Install Wine:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 sudo apt update sudo apt install wine64 wine32 - Download and install Notepad++:
sh wget https://notepad-plus-plus.org/repository/7.x/7.8.6/npp.7.8.6.Installer.exe wine npp.7.8.6.Installer.exe
3. Creating a Directory for PHP Projects
Let’s create a directory to hold our PHP projects:
mkdir -p ~/projects/php cd ~/projects/php
4. Installing PHP 8.x
Install PHP along with some common extensions:
sudo apt install php php-cli php-common php-mbstring php-xml php-zip
Verify the installation:
php -v
5. Creating and Serving an HTML File
Create a simple HTML file using nano:
nano hello.html
Add the following content to hello.html:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Hello, World!</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello, World!</h1>
</body>
</html>
Serve the HTML file using PHP’s built-in server:
php -S localhost:5500
Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5500/hello.html to see your HTML page.
6. Creating and Serving a PHP File
Create a simple PHP file:
nano hello.php
Add the following content to hello.php:
<?php echo "Hello, PHP World!"; ?>
Serve the PHP file using PHP’s built-in server:
php -S localhost:5500
Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5500/hello.php to see your PHP page.
7. Installing and Configuring Apache2
Install Apache2:
sudo apt install apache2
8. Adding PHP Support to Apache2
Install the PHP module for Apache:
sudo apt install libapache2-mod-php
Restart Apache to load the PHP module:
sudo systemctl restart apache2
9. Creating a Virtual Host
Create a new configuration file for your virtual host:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/php-project.conf
Add the following content to the configuration file:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
DocumentRoot /home/your_username/projects/php
<Directory /home/your_username/projects/php>
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
Enable the new virtual host and rewrite module:
sudo a2ensite php-project.conf sudo a2enmod rewrite sudo systemctl restart apache2
10. Updating the Hosts File
Add an entry to your hosts file to map a domain to your local server:
sudo nano /etc/hosts
Add the following line:
127.0.0.1 php-project.local
11. Serving an HTML File with Apache
Move your hello.html file to the project directory:
sudo mv hello.html /home/your_username/projects/php
Open your browser and navigate to http://php-project.local/hello.html to see your HTML page served by Apache.
12. Serving a PHP File with Apache
Move your hello.php file to the project directory:
sudo mv hello.php /home/your_username/projects/php
Open your browser and navigate to http://php-project.local/hello.php to see your PHP page served by Apache.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you’ve set up a PHP development environment on Ubuntu 24.04 using both PHP’s built-in server and Apache2. This setup allows you to quickly develop and test your PHP applications. Whether you prefer the simplicity of PHP’s built-in server or the robust features of Apache2, you have the tools necessary to start building dynamic web applications.
Should I continue?
sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https wget wget -q https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add - sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable main" sudo apt update sudo apt install code
Installing Notepad++:
Notepad++ is primarily a Windows application, but it can be run on Ubuntu using Wine.
- Install Wine:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 sudo apt update sudo apt install wine64 wine32 - Download and install Notepad++:
sh wget https://notepad-plus-plus.org/repository/7.x/7.8.6/npp.7.8.6.Installer.exe wine npp.7.8.6.Installer.exe
3. Creating a Directory for PHP Projects
Let’s create a directory to hold our PHP projects:
mkdir -p ~/projects/php cd ~/projects/php
4. Installing PHP 8.x
Install PHP along with some common extensions:
sudo apt install php php-cli php-common php-mbstring php-xml php-zip
Verify the installation:
php -v
5. Creating and Serving an HTML File
Create a simple HTML file using nano:
nano hello.html
Add the following content to hello.html:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Hello, World!</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello, World!</h1>
</body>
</html>
Serve the HTML file using PHP’s built-in server:
php -S localhost:5500
Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5500/hello.html to see your HTML page.
6. Creating and Serving a PHP File
Create a simple PHP file:
nano hello.php
Add the following content to hello.php:
<?php echo "Hello, PHP World!"; ?>
Serve the PHP file using PHP’s built-in server:
php -S localhost:5500
Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5500/hello.php to see your PHP page.
7. Installing and Configuring Apache2
Install Apache2:
sudo apt install apache2
8. Adding PHP Support to Apache2
Install the PHP module for Apache:
sudo apt install libapache2-mod-php
Restart Apache to load the PHP module:
sudo systemctl restart apache2
9. Creating a Virtual Host
Create a new configuration file for your virtual host:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/php-project.conf
Add the following content to the configuration file:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
DocumentRoot /home/your_username/projects/php
<Directory /home/your_username/projects/php>
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
Enable the new virtual host and rewrite module:
sudo a2ensite php-project.conf sudo a2enmod rewrite sudo systemctl restart apache2
10. Updating the Hosts File
Add an entry to your hosts file to map a domain to your local server:
sudo nano /etc/hosts
Add the following line:
127.0.0.1 php-project.local
11. Serving an HTML File with Apache
Move your hello.html file to the project directory:
sudo mv hello.html /home/your_username/projects/php
Open your browser and navigate to http://php-project.local/hello.html to see your HTML page served by Apache.
12. Serving a PHP File with Apache
Move your hello.php file to the project directory:
sudo mv hello.php /home/your_username/projects/php
Open your browser and navigate to http://php-project.local/hello.php to see your PHP page served by Apache.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you’ve set up a PHP development environment on Ubuntu 24.04 using both PHP’s built-in server and Apache2. This setup allows you to quickly develop and test your PHP applications. Whether you prefer the simplicity of PHP’s built-in server or the robust features of Apache2, you have the tools necessary to start building dynamic web applications.
Should I continue?