How to use a Personal computer as a Linux web server for development purposes

Question

How to use a personal computer as a Linux web server for development purposes.

Is it possible to have both Windows XP and Linux web server in one computer?

Suggestions, ideas?

Answer 1

One option is to run a virtual machine with the Linux installation and Windows as the host. There are commercial virtualization packages or you can use VirtualBox which is free.

Answer 2

Have a look at Xampp. It is a compact installation of Apache, php and mysql for windows:

http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html

Answer 3

I'd use windows as my main operating system and install ubuntu server using VirtualBox. The install of a LAMP server is just a click (ehm, a space-keystroke) away using Ubuntu Server install cd: really easy. Then transferring files from your development windows o.s. to your ubuntu webserver would be a little more complicated. Samba (windows file sharing for linux)? A small ftp server (to install and configure)? Using VirtualBox shared fodlers? Any solution is fine and just depending on what you need and your skills.

If you don't care a lot about tweaking apache, php and mysql and fighting your way to put files in your webserver and configure it and need just a solution that works with a couple of double clicks then Xampp whill make you happy.

Your choice :)

:)

Answer 4

the other option is to install Linux (i.e. Ubuntu) with Gnome, Apache, MySQL, Php..etc.

and develop under Linux - you have more tools (development IDEs, editors, Revision control systems, SQL managers, FTP tools, ssh tools, scripting for automation, rsync, archivators, file managers and browsers)

All files will be local for you (hence no need to transfer files back and forth and after changes - you see them immediately)

you still can install Win XP under Virtualbox if you need it (for example to test the site with IE)

Answer 5

If you want not only software that runs on Linux too, but a Linux environment, consider either VirtualBox as suggested above, or CoLinux. This way you'll will start and stop a Linux server as a regular Windows service.