LAMP (application stack)

LAMP is an acronym that stands for for "Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/PHP/Python." Packaged together, they create an application stack that is both free to use and open source which functions as a general purpose web server.

• Linux is an open source operating system
• Apache HTTP Server is an open source web server middleware
• MySQL is an open source Relational Database Management System (RDBMS, also known simply as a Database)
• PHP, Perl, or Python are server-side programming languages which can be installed on Apache.

History

The concept of a LAMP stack (the free general purpose web server) had been possible from as early as 1994 when CERN httpd introduced the Common Gateway Interface, which allowed for the server-side execution of code to create dynamic webpages. Linux, the CERN httpd, and server-side programming languages such as Perl were available for free, but it wasn't until later that same year and the release of Postgre95 that it was possible to obtain a free database as well.

By 1995, the Apache HTTP server and PHP were released, allowing for a LAPP application stack. Finally in 1996, MySQL was released online and a full LAMP stack was possible.

Variations

Variations of LAMP packages (referred to as AMP packages) can differ based on the choice of operating system and other software

• LAPP substitutes PostgreSQL for MySQL
• A WAMP stack uses Microsoft Windows.
• The MAMP stack uses Macintosh computers (UNIX-based Mac OS X replaces the operating system layer).
• A SAMP stack uses the Sun Microsystems Solaris operating system.
• XAMPP is a cross-platform version of the bundle that can be downloaded and installed on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris, or Linux.
• OAMP runs on OpenBSD.
• DAMP runs on the Darwin operating system, but can also be used to refer to Dragonfly BSD.
• SLAMPP is a Linux distribution that can be booted from an optical disc drive to turn any computer into an instant home web server.
• A LYME stack uses Linux as the OS, Yaws as the web server, Mnesia as the database, and Erlang as the programming language
• A fully Windows stack, WINS uses Windows Server as the OS, Internet Information Services (or IIS) as the web server, SQL Server as the database, and .NET as the programming language.
• WIMP is another variation of the above, except using MySQL or MS Access as the database and PHP as the programming language

Acronym	Operating system	Web server	Database manager	Server programming
LAMP	Linux	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python
LAPP	Linux	Apache	PostgreSQL	PHP, Perl, Python
LYME	Linux	Yaws	Mnesia	Erlang
SLAMPP	Linux bootable from optical drive	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, Lua
MAMP	Macintosh	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python
WAMP	Microsoft Windows	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python
WINS	Windows Server	IIS	SQL Server	.NET
WIMP	Windows Server	IIS	MySQL, MS Access	PHP, Perl, Python
XAMPP	Cross-platform	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl
SAMP	Solaris	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python
OAMP	OpenBSD	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python
DAMP	Darwin, DragonFly BSD	Apache	MySQL	PHP, Perl, Python