What is a LAMP server?

If you are using or shopping for a web host, you may have come across the term “LAMP server”. It’s not a type of hardware but, rather, a web server based on open source software. LAMP is an acronym formed from the first letter of each of the four major components:

• Linux (operating system)
• Apache (HTTP server)
• MySQL (database software)
• PHP (scripting language, sometimes replaced or supplemented by Python or Perl)

Linux is an operating system based on Unix, noted for security and stability.

Apache is the web server that receives incoming traffic, processes the requests, and serves up the required web pages. It’s the most popular type of web server.

MySQL is a multi-user database. It can be used to store data that are then served into dynamic web pages. Data could be a retailer’s products, a club’s member list, or your vinyl record collection to show off to site visitors.

PHP is a scripting language used to program web sites. One of its advantages is that its language can be read by humans relatively easily. This allows even novices to begin writing scripts for their web sites.

LAMP web servers are popular because they are stable, well understood, and the open source software can be modified and customized as needed. While the components were all designed separately, they create an effective a package. Here at WebHostingBuzz, LAMP servers are used as LAMP is bundled into the cPanel release.

LAMP servers’ popularity, coupled with the open source nature of the components, means that plenty of documentation and help are available. When you want to learn how to add a feature or program something for your site, just search the WWW as there are thousands of tutorial sites and forums on these components. I programmed a hierarchical navigation menu system for my site using information from tutorial and reference web sites, plus a little help from on-line contacts.

When you choose web hosting on a LAMP server, you’re joining a huge community. Explore each component and you’ll be amazed what you can do to trick out your web site.