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Configure a LAMP Server on Ubuntu desktop

A "LAMP" stack is open source software typically installed together to enable web development. This term is actually an acronym which represents the Linux operating system, with the Apache web server. The site data is stored in a MySQL database, and dynamic content is processed by PHP.

Why is it called LAMP Stack?

It is referred to as the LAMP stack because all these components are integrated to deliver a comprehensive software solution. Linux Apache MySql Php (LAMP)

Why is it LAMP stack so popular ?

The LAMP stack is a very popular platform of choice among many start up companies due to that fact that is mostly "free" to use. Therefore it significantly reduces the overhead on software development.

It also has a very active and vibrant community, which ensures ease of use of obtaining great technical talent is easier. Many universities and colleges offer courses in utilizing open source software solutions, which also ensures skilled people are available.

What are the benefits of LAMP

  • Easy to code: Developers enjoy developing on LAMP due to the fact that there are a number of great software development frameworks available which help in making coding a breeze on LAMP. This assists in turning out new applications is alot quicker
  • Cheap and Easy deployment : There are alot of great tools available that help in making deployment of LAMP applications easier and hosting charges tend to be significantly reduced
  • Local Development : Another huge advantage of using LAMP is that a developer can build an application locally and then deploy it to the web easily.

In order to configure your desktop you'll need to install Tasksel, which is a Debian/Ubuntu tool to install multiple related packages as a co-ordinated "task" onto your target system. It is primarily used for server installation but works just as well for dekstops too.

In order to use of Tasksel, you will need to install it, if not previously installed.

To do so open a terminal window

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once that is complete type in

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Select LAMP Server

Then once that is setup is complete. I always execute an additional command just to ensure that all of the libraries I specifically require for development have been registred and installed.

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I also prefer to use phpmyadminm which provides me with a UI over mySQL database to ease administration tasks

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This is should be it!

You can now test your machine, by going to http://localhost and http://localhost/phpmyadmin

Remove LAMP Stack

If ever you need to unistall or remove the LAMP stack from your desktop DO NOT use Tasksel to remove.

Follow these steps to safely remove LAMP server configuration from your ubuntu desktop without removing other required files.

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