WHAT IS LAMP STACK?

A LAMP stack is a group of open source software that is typically installed together to enable a server to host dynamic websites and web applications. The acronym stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.

1. Linux: This is the operating system that the server runs on.
2. Apache: This is the web server software that is responsible for serving web content to users.
3. MySQL: This is the database management system that is used to store, organize, and retrieve data for the websites and applications that run on the server.
4. PHP: This is the programming language used to build dynamic websites and web applications.

Together, these four components form a powerful platform for hosting web-based applications and websites. Many popular websites and applications, such as WordPress and MediaWiki, are built on top of the LAMP stack.

How does a LAMP stack work?

Web applications use a LAMP stack to respond to requests from web browsers. The Apache web server and MySQL database run on the Linux operating system and communicate using PHP. When you open a webpage in a browser, the LAMP stack goes through the following process.

Receives requests

The Apache web server receives the incoming request from the browser. If the request is to load a static file, the Apache server responds directly with the appropriate content. If the request is for dynamic content, the Apache server passes the request to the PHP component. The PHP component finds and loads the appropriate PHP file that can process the request.

Processes requests

The PHP file contains PHP functions that are codes for generating dynamic content. The PHP component processes the PHP functions, such as converting measurement units or creating a sales chart. Some PHP functions might require information from the database. In such cases, the PHP code retrieves the stored information from the database and uses it to process the function.

Returns responses

The PHP passes the calculated results to the web server in HTML format. At the same time, it also stores new data in the MySQL database. The Apache HTTP server sends the dynamic HTML results to the user’s browser.

How to Setup:

To set up a LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) on Ubuntu, follow these steps:

1. Install Apache:

• Open a terminal and enter the following command: sudo apt-get install apache2
• Press Y and hit Enter to confirm the installation
• After the installation is complete, you can check if Apache is running by visiting http://localhost in your web browser

2. Install MySQL:

• In the terminal, enter the following command: sudo apt-get install mysql-server
• Press Y and hit Enter to confirm the installation
• During the installation process, you will be prompted to set a password for the MySQL root user. Make sure to set a strong, secure password and remember it for later use.
• After the installation is complete, you can start the MySQL service by entering the following command: sudo service mysql start

3. Install PHP:

• In the terminal, enter the following command: sudo apt-get install php libapache2-mod-php
• Press Y and hit Enter to confirm the installation
• After the installation is complete, you need to restart Apache for the changes to take effect. To do this, enter the following command: sudo service apache2 restart

4. Test the LAMP stack:

• To test if the LAMP stack is working correctly, create a PHP file in the Apache web root directory by entering the following command: sudo nano /var/www/html/info.php
• Add the following line of code to the file: <?php phpinfo(); ?>
• Save the file and exit the editor
• In your web browser, visit http://localhost/info.php to view the PHP information page. If you see the PHP information page, it means that the LAMP stack is working correctly.

Hope this would help someone to understand LAMP stack deployments