Installing AMP

AMP, stands for Apache, MySQL & PHP. This is not the only platform on which Moodle runs but is the most common and fine for basic installations.

'All-in-one' Moodle installers for Windows and OSX are available at http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/install.html (not intended for 'production' sites).

First a word about PostgreSQL

If you would prefer to use the PostgreSQL database (and you should consider it) you can - when using the package type installers - just install it instead of MySQL. MySQL tends to be the universal choice with the simpler 'one-click' installers. For a 'one-click' installer with PostgreSQL, Apache and PHP you can check BitNami, it supports Windows (WAPP), Linux (LAPP) and Mac (MAPP).

Mac OS X

OSX comes with a suitable Apache web server and a not so suitable PHP (it doesn't have all the required extensions).

Here are some other possibilities (all are documented so this is not repeated here):

• Liip 'one click' installer from http://php-osx.liip.ch/. Note that it is primarily biased towards developers.
• MAMP: One click installer - easy to use and well documented. Probably only suitable for personal use.
• Softaculous AMPPS: Another one click installer - for both Windows and OSX this time.
• MacPorts: A complete Linux-style package repository. You will find the AMP components here. See Getting Apache, MySQL, and PHP Running under MacPorts
• Fink: an alternative to MacPorts.
• BitNami MAMP Stack: On 'one-click' installer with for MySQL, Apache and PHP which supports the BitNami applications modules to installed on top of it like the BitNami Moodle module.

Linux

You should install the packages from your distribution's repository for Apache, PHP and MySQL. You will almost certainly need additional extensions for PHP (e.g. the extension for the database). The packaged versions of Moodle are not recommended (it's not much harder to install from moodle.org download)

See (for example):

• Ubuntu - https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ApacheMySQLPHP
• Debian - http://wiki.debian.org/LaMp
• RedHat / Centos - http://www.howtoforge.com/quick-n-easy-lamp-server-centos-rhel
• SuSE / OpenSuSE - http://www.susegeek.com/internet-browser/install-configure-lamp-apachemysqlphp-in-opensuse-110/

While one-click installers (e.g. XAMPP or BitNami LAMP Stack) exist for Linux, it is so simple to install the components the "right" way that they seem pointless. Using the standard method will make it much easier for you to obtain help and support.

Of course, if you wish to (or you need a particularly new version) you can compile all or some of the elements from source. All the elements have good documentation. The tricky one is PHP and some guidance for Debian/Ubuntu is here: Compiling PHP from source

Windows

Windows has slightly more variations as you can use Apache or Microsoft's IIS web servers. Again, here are some pointers

• XAMPP: Probably the best known one-click installer for Windows. Lots of documentation and discussion around. Definitely only for a personal web server
• EasyPHP: Another popular alternative to the above
• BitNami WAMP Stack: On 'one-click' installer with for MySQL, Apache and PHP which supports the BitNami applications modules to installed on top of it like the BitNami Moodle module.
• Official PHP Documentation: A lengthy list of instructions for installing PHP on all manner of Windows and web server variations
• MySQL: Select Windows and download installer.
• PostgreSQL: Download installer for Windows

Installer packages and components

As a reference, the following table lists the components of each package and its version (as of March 3, 2012):

Product	Version	Httpd (Apache)	PHP	MySQL	PHPMyAdmin	Address
WampServer	2.2d	2.2.21	5.3.10	5.5.20	3.4.10.1	Web page
BitNami WAMP Stack	5.3.10-0	2.2.21	5.3.10	5.5.16	3.4.9	Web page
BitNami WAMP Stack	5.4.0-0	2.4.1	5.4.0	5.5.16	3.4.10.1
EasyPHP	5.3.9	2.2.21 VC9	5.3.9 VC9	5.5.20	3.4.9	Web page
EasyPHP	5.4.0 RC4	2.2.21 VC9	5.4.0 RC4 VC9	5.5.19	3.4.9
XAMPP	1.7.7	2.2.21	5.3.8	5.5.16	3.4.5	Web page
-----------------	---------	----------	-------------	------	-------
XAMPP	1.7.4	2.2.17	5.3.5	5.5.8	3.3.9
XAMPP	1.7.1	2.2.11	5.2.9	5.1.33	3.1.3.1

As it can be seen, the WampServer package includes the most up-to-date components (though not necessarily the latest). Versions 1.7.1 and 1.7.4 of the XAMPP package were included because those are the versions on which the Windows Moodle Package are built (1.9.16 & 2.0.7 are under 1.7.1, and 2.1.4 & 2.2.1 under 1.7.4).

Vista and Windows 7

Many people have trouble installing the stand alone local Moodle for Windows on Vista and Windows 7.

Here are some things you might want to try:

• A simple one is to use http://bitnami.org/stack/moodle
• Another solution is to look at these videos at Sebastian Sulinski Design for Windows Vista.
• For personal (evaluation) use - install XAMPP or EasyPHP and then Moodle using the normal installation instructions.