How to Install PHP and Set Up a LAMP Stack on Linux: A Complete Guide

Introduction

LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) is a powerful open-source stack for web development. This guide walks you through installing PHP and configuring a full LAMP environment on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian). Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

1. A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04/Debian 12 used here)
2. Terminal access with sudo privileges
3. Stable internet connection

Step 1: Update Your System

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Apache Web Server

sudo apt install apache2 -y

Verify Apache:
Access your server’s IP in a browser:
http://your_server_ip
You should see the Apache default page.

Step 3: Install MySQL Database

sudo apt install mysql-server -y

Secure MySQL:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow prompts to:

• Set a root password
• Remove anonymous users
• Disable remote root login
• Remove test databases

Step 4: Install PHP and Extensions

sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-cli php-curl php-gd php-zip php-mbstring -y

Key Extensions:

• php-mysql: MySQL database connectivity
• php-gd: Image processing
• php-curl: HTTP requests
• php-mbstring: Multibyte string support

Step 5: Configure Apache for PHP

1. Restart Apache:

   sudo systemctl restart apache2

2. Test PHP Processing:
   Create a test file:

   sudo nano /var/www/html/info.php

   Add this content:

   Access via browser:
   http://your_server_ip/info.php
   You’ll see PHP configuration details.

Step 6: Verify LAMP Functionality

1. Create a PHP-MySQL Test Script:

   connect_error) {
      die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
   }
   echo "LAMP stack is working!";
   ?>

   Save as /var/www/html/test.php. A success message confirms connectivity.

Step 7: (Optional) Install phpMyAdmin

For database management:

sudo apt install phpmyadmin -y

During installation:

• Select apache2 with SPACEBAR → TAB → ENTER
• Choose “Yes” to configure with dbconfig-common
• Set phpMyAdmin password

Link to Apache:

sudo ln -s /usr/share/phpmyadmin /var/www/html/phpmyadmin

Access at:
http://your_server_ip/phpmyadmin

Troubleshooting Tips

• Apache not running?

  sudo systemctl status apache2
  sudo journalctl -xe

• PHP not executing?
  Ensure libapache2-mod-php is installed and Apache is restarted.
• Connection issues with MySQL?
  Verify credentials and check MySQL service status:

  sudo systemctl status mysql

Conclusion

You’ve successfully set up a LAMP stack! Now you can:

• Host PHP applications (e.g., WordPress)
• Develop dynamic websites
• Manage databases via phpMyAdmin

Next Steps:

• Configure virtual hosts for multiple websites
• Set up SSL/TLS with Let’s Encrypt
• Explore PHP frameworks like Laravel

> Note: For CentOS/RHEL, replace apt with yum/dnf and adjust package names (e.g., httpd instead of apache2).

Enjoy your fully functional web development environment! 🚀