24 October, 2013

Tips to build PHP applications on Windows

Within a very short span of time PHP has emerged as a popular web programming language. According to many reports, over 20 millions websites and web applications use this open source programming language. The rapidly growing popularity of the web development language also compels many programmers to switch to PHP development. The programmers familiar with widely used Microsoft products like Visual Studio and SQL Server often find it a daunting challenge to migrate to PHP development. However, these developers have several options to set up PHP development environment on their PCs. The right environment will further make it easier for programmers to build robust web application by using an IDE and PHP interpreter.

Tips to Rapidly Built PHP Applications on Windows

Compare Different Options

php application developmentYou have a number of options to avail PHP for windows. But it is always important to determine the version of PHP you want to use before choosing an option. The simplest way is to download and install software applications like the PHP Binary Interpreter and NetBeans 7.2.1 IDE. Also, you can consider using an .MSI installer, if you are planning to use versions older than PHP 5.3.0. Also, you need to understand the exact steps to configure the environment by extracting content of from these ZIP files.

Use the Built-in Web Server

The PHP 5.4+ comes with a built-in web server. The web server comes with features to facilitate local development without requiring any specific configuration. Also, you can consider using a set of customized development tools like Zend Server, Microsoft Web Platform Installer, WAMP and XAMPP. These tools will enable you to set up and run the Windows development framework in a quick and hassle-free way. The tools will further allow you to avail the advantages of a web server along with MySQL. However, it is also important understand the key differences between using these tools on Windows and Linux.

Avail the Advantages of IIS7

You can even consider developing the Windows development environment by availing the features of IIS7. These features will further contribute towards optimizing the stability and performance of the production system on Windows. IIS7 is also designed with a GUI plug-in called phpmanager that can be used to configure and manage the application development environment in a much simpler manner. At the same time, you can also use the built-in FastCGI features to configure PHP as a handler. Microsoft has further enabled developers to access additional resources and tutorials.

Know the Bugs while Running the Application

Often developers have to deploy a PHP application, developed on Windows, on non-Windows platforms like Linux. The change in running environment will results in creation on strange bugs. Therefore, you must note the changes in the versions of PHP and operating systems. Also, you can consider using a virtual machine to handle the differences between deployment platforms. There are also several software applications that make it easier for you to setup a virtual environment by following a set of simple steps. For instance, Vagrant allows you to create a virtual environment to run the PHP application by following few steps. Similarly, you can use the provisioning software provided by Puppet or chef to set up and customize the virtual machine manually according to the needs of your project.

When you plan to develop PHP applications on Windows, it becomes essential to understand how to set up the development environment properly. You may also have to put some amount of time and effort to create the right environment. But you can start developing the PHP application in no time after setting up the environment on Windows by using customized tools.

You can hire php programmers from top companies in India who can help you build products within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide php application development services. If you would like to discuss with an expert php developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

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