sing MAMP, you can quickly and easily install Apache, PHP and MySQL on your Mac. Installing each package separately is totally possible, but MAMP offers a number of advantages vs. individual installations. MAMP will not alter or interfere with an existing version of Apache already running on your Mac. If Apache/MySQL/PHP are no longer needed, delete the MAMP folder and everything returns to its original status. Keep reading for a walk-through of the installation and initial setup.
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- First things first, download MAMP. Open the .DMG file, review the license, and click theAgree button.
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- Now drag the MAMP folder to your Applications. Ignore the MAMP PRO folder (unless you want to purchase MAMP Pro – it does include some extra features, but it’s not free).
- Give MAMP a minute to install.
- Navigate to your Applications, select the MAMP folder, and double-click MAMP.app.
- The MAMP interface will launch, and Apache and MySQL will start.
- Your browser will open and load the MAMP dashboard (http://localhost:8888/MAMP/?language=English). This page includes all of the info on the default settings for your MySQL server, and allows you to quickly access the included tools (phpinfo, phpMyAdmin and SQLiteManager)
- Select phpMyAdmin to configure your MySQL databases.
- Your web server “home” folder (document root) can be found in the htdocs sub-folder of MAMP.
- Place your .html, .php etc files in htdocs, and they’ll be viewable at http://localhost:8888
- Return to the MAMP interface application, and click the Preferences… button. The first tab allows you to control how the servers are started/stopped, if the start page should load when MAMP is opened, and the location of that start page.
- The Ports tab allows you to change the ports for Apache and MySQL.
- The PHP tab allows you to specify which version of PHP you’d like to use, if Zend Optimizer is enabled/disabled, and which cache to use.
- Finally, the Apache tab allows you to change the default Document Root.