Select a local web server for Windows. Web Server: what is it for, how it is designed and how it works Web server on a home computer: installation

During my youth, only one local web server was popular in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet. This is, as you may have guessed, good old Denwer. It became firmly established on my computer back in 2003. Other alternatives, if they existed at that time, were known in narrow circles and were not so popular.

Let's look at what we can use today, after all these years. I propose to review, test and compare 14! software packages designed for use as a local web server for Windows.

1.AMPS

Latest version: 1.7
Russian language: yes (partially)
Portable version: No
Homepage: http://www.ampps.com/

Basic kit:

• Softaculous AMPPS 1.7
• Apache 2.2.22
• MySQL 5.5.22
• PHP 5.3.10 and 5.2.17
• PERL 5.10.1
• Python 2.7.2
• MongoDB 2.0.4

AMPPS is not just a local server, it is a whole library of applications, where each of them can be quickly installed, manipulated and tinkered without leaving the checkout. All this farming is painstakingly cataloged and described in detail.

An undoubted advantage of this assembly is the support for many common CMS, blog platforms, web forums, message boards, photo galleries, etc. There are more than 200 available applications! The set of components included in the package also keeps up with life, all the modules are quite fresh and, notably, here we can find such exotic things as Python and MongoDB.

Of the minuses, I would like to note the partial Russian translation, which is present only in the script catalog, and even then not everywhere. After restarting Apache, the tray menu refused to work, restarting Windows did not help. Another disadvantage is the lack of portability. In my opinion, AMPPS is more useful for beginners to learn scripts than for serious developers. I wasn’t very comfortable working with this server; there are better options.

Latest version: 2.5.10
Russian language: No
Portable version: No
Homepage: http://www.appservnetwork.com/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.8
• PHP 5.2.6
• MySQL 5.0.51b
• phpMyAdmin-2.10.3

Apache and MySQL are installed as services. There is no control program, just a dubiously designed page with a link to PhpMyAdmin. At its core, AppServ is a graphical installer for Apache, PHP, MySQL and nothing more. If the same Denwer itself launches components, then here they are simply installed as services and managed by Windows itself.

Latest version: 3.2010-11-07
Is there Russian language
Portable version: Yes
Home page: http://www.denwer.ru/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2
• PHP 5.3.3
• MySQL 5.1.40
• phpMyAdmin 3.2.3

Denwer... good old Denwer. We see the same meager set of not very fresh components (cut down to the core), a black window and no GUI. The advantages of this local web server include its extremely small size and a good “knowledge base” on the forum, accumulated over many years. In fact, server management is carried out through the execution of BAT scripts for starting and stopping modules; as such, there is no control program at all.

Denwer is extremely simple and understandable, and therefore has the largest army of fans among “dummies”. The most complete description of this web server will be the following phrase said by one of the users: “Denver performs the basic tasks and okay, but the more bells and whistles, the more problems (no one uses them 100 percent).”

Latest version: 5.3.9
Russian language: Yes
Portable version: Yes
Homepage: http://www.easyphp.org/

Basic kit:

• PHP 5.3.9
• PhpMyAdmin 3.4.9
• Apache 2.2.21
• MySQL 5.5.20

A fairly simple and unremarkable assembly. We are offered the usual no-frills tray menu, simple settings and a confusing start page without the Russian language. This software package did not make any impression on me; it works well. EasyPHP is quite suitable as a replacement for Denwer with a “windowed version” (if the start page doesn’t scare you).

I note that EasyPHP manages the server independently, no scary black windows pop up, and starting and stopping the server is quite fast.

Latest version: 2.0.2.0
Is there Russian language
Portable version: No
Home page: http://eleanor-cms.ru/server

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.19
• PHP 5.3.6
• MySQL: MariaDB 5.2.6
• PhpMyAdmin 3.4.2
• SlimFTPd 3.1.81
• DNS Unbound 1.4.10

EleanorServ at first seemed to me like a dark horse, or rather a kind of specialized server for the Eleanor CMS of the same name. After examination, it turned out that this is a regular local web server.

In this build, I liked the design of the menu, which turned out to be quite attractive, which is very rare among this kind of programs. I also liked the control panel, or rather the start page, which has a rather unusual design.

The joy of using this software package did not last long. After creating a new domain, the control panel simply disappeared. Yes, yes, it just disappeared and in the folder./www/localhost/ I didn’t even find any files except the index.php stub. Another disappointment was the inability to open the folder with domains from the tray menu, I had to look for where I installed EleanorServ...

And finally, the most important drawback is that this server is not portable, which does not allow us to install it on a flash drive and use it on different computers.

6. Nimp

Latest version: 1.5.0
Is there Russian language
Portable version: Yes
Home page: http://nimpbox.ru/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.17
• Nginx 0.9.3
• MySQL 5.5.8
• PHP 5.3.5
• Sendmail 31
• phpMyAdmin 3.3.9
• Sypex Dumper 2.0.8
• FileZilla 0.9.37 beta
• Memcached 1.2.4

Here we see a terrible implementation of the control panel with elements of pornography, but there is a rather interesting tray menu. The strangest thing about this assembly is that there are as many as 4! tray icons with exactly the same menu. It wasn't the first time I managed to get the server working. As it turned out, Nimp can only work from the root of the disk, which is undoubtedly another big disadvantage of this software package.

While using this server, something constantly crashed, FileZilla never stopped itself (I had to kill it through the task manager), and Memcached did not start at all. Some confusion was caused by the words of the program’s author that “this assembly is perfect for highly loaded sites in corporate and city networks.” The program is clearly far from suitable for use in a corporate environment.

The “trick” of this local web server is that Nginx works as the frontend and is designed to serve static content, and Apache works as the backend to generate dynamic content. In general, my impression of this assembly remained twofold; it gradually changed from sharply negative at the beginning to normal and acceptable while working with the program.

Latest version: 4.5.2
Is there Russian language
Portable version: Yes
Home page: http://open-server.ru/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.22;
• Apache 2.4.2;
• Nginx 1.2.0;
• MySQL 5.1.63;
• MySQL 5.5.24;
• PostgreSQL 9.1.2;
• PHP 5.2.17 (IMagick 2.2.1, Zend Optimizer 3.3.3, IonCube Loader 4.0.7, Memcache 2.2.4);
• PHP 5.3.13 (IMagick 2.3.0, Xdebug 2.2.0, IonCube Loader 4.0.14, Memcache 2.2.6);
• PHP 5.4.3 (Xdebug 2.2.0);
• Perl 5.12.3.0 (extension);
• SlimFTPd 3.181;
• Fake Sendmail 32;
• NNCron Lite 1.17;
• Memcached 1.2.6;
• Adminer 3.3.4;
• HeidiSQL 7.0;
• Webgrind 1.0;
• PHPMyAdmin 3.5.1;
• PHPPgAdmin 5.0.4;
• PHPMemcachedAdmin 1.2.1;

In contrast to other participants in our review, Open Server has the most pleasant and thoughtful interface, and has powerful capabilities for configuring and administering components. The undoubted advantages include support for settings profiles, switching HTTP/MySQL/PHP modules, a task scheduler (cron), convenient management of domains and aliases, and for “dummies” there is a clear user manual.

A nice feature of Open Server is the ability to use the program as a portable personal start menu. You can install the server on a USB drive, transfer your portable programs there, create bookmarks for frequently visited sites, and wherever you are, you will have a convenient quick access menu to your favorite sites and programs.

Latest version: 1.8.2
Russian language: No
Portable version: Yes
Homepage: http://www.server2go-web.de/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2
• PHP 5.3.2
• SQLITE
• MYSQL 5.1.46
• PERL 5.8

I was disgusted by this disgusting thing for a long time and spent several minutes searching for and killing child processes. It turned out that when you start the Server2go program, the local web server just starts and that’s it. EVERYTHING - in the literal sense of the word, there is no control program, no monitor, the server cannot be stopped or even simply restarted. All this software package has is a start page where you can view harmless information like the PHP Info output.

The impression is extremely negative, although it would seem: the server starts, PhpMyadmin opens, and what else is needed? No, a server that cannot be stopped is not for me. Burn in hell!

Latest version: 8.5.4
Russian language: Yes
Portable version: No
Homepage: http://www.uniformserver.com/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.4.2
• PHP 5.4.0
• MySQL 5.5.24
• phpMyAdmin 3.5.1

Uniformserver is just another hack and I can’t say anything good about it. A crooked Russian translation, a huge ugly logo in the tray menu, the menu itself is not thought out at all, and because of the crooked translation it is generally impossible to understand anything. All this assembly can do is start and open PhpMyadmin. Using the menu you can also get to the logs and configuration files. The only pleasant surprise was to find Cron there.

Latest version: 8.5
Russian language: No
Portable version: Yes
Homepage: http://www.usbwebserver.net/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.21
• MySQL 5.5
• PHP 5.3.9
• PhpMyAdmin 3.4.9.0

Simple and lightweight web server. The control panel is simple and can be hidden in the tray. Unfortunately, there is no Russian language. The assembly can be recommended to undemanding users and beginners. There are no features or benefits that I could talk about in this software package.

In its functionality, USBWebserver resembles Denwer, except that Perl is missing. In the control panel you can start/stop modules, open logs, there are a couple of useful functions and settings, that’s all. I would recommend this assembly as a GUI replacement for Denwer for those who need similar functionality, but want to have a control panel with buttons and little things.

Latest version: 2.27
Russian language: No
Portable version: No
Homepage:

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.22
• PHP 5.3.10
• MySQL 5.5.20
• SQLite 3.7.10
• Smarty 3.1.7
• PhpMyAdmin 3.4.9
• Xdebug 2.1.3
• SQLiteManager 1.2.4

A good and functional local web server, quite well-known, easy to learn. It has a convenient menu, good options for setting up PHP and Apache. I really liked the assembly; at one time I used Vertrigo for quite a long time.

But not everything is so rosy in our kingdom; of course, there are also disadvantages. The most important and significant disadvantage is that the server is not portable, it cannot be installed on a flash drive and used on different machines. Among other problems, I would like to note the difficulties with creating a domain or alias, as well as the lack of Russian language.

Latest version: 2.2d
Russian language: Yes
Portable version: No
Homepage: http://www.wampserver.com/

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.21
• Php 5.3.10
• Mysql 5.5.20
• XDebug 2.1.2
• XDC 1.5
• PhpMyadmin 3.4.10.1
• SQLBuddy 1.3.3
• webGrind 1.0

Like XAMPP, this assembly is widely known in the West. Perhaps the reason for this is the support for a large number of languages, the ability to install any version of Apache, MySQL and PHP as an add-on and an attractive home page, which cannot be said about the control program itself.

The assembly works well, has a scary, but quite understandable menu. There is nothing in it that makes this local web server stand out from the crowd. To be honest, I was very surprised to see such squalor in the design of the program after visiting the stylish and colorful home page.

Latest version: 0.4.0.4
Is there Russian language
Portable version: Yes
Home page: http://winginx.ru/

Basic kit:

• Nginx 1.2.0;
• PHP 5.3.13;
• PHP 5.4.3;
• Node.js 0.6.17;
• MySQL 5.1.62;
• MongoDB 2.0.5;
• memcached 1.2.6;
• phpMyAdmin 3.5.0;
• Adminer 3.3.3;
• RockMongo 1.1.1;
• phpMemcachedAdmin 1.2.1;
• Xdebug 2.2.0.5, Zend Guard Loader 5.5, ionCube 4.0.14

This assembly boasts the presence of MongoDB and Node.js, as well as the rapidly gaining popularity of the Nginx web server. I was also pleased with the presence of a normal tray menu and settings section, but during the work it turned out that the settings window has 3 tabs with only 1-2 options each (why?).

Working with logs in Winginx looks rather strange. To view them, we are offered a menu for selecting files like error.log, access.log, and so on, but it is impossible to understand which module these logs belong to: Nginx, PHP, or maybe Node.js?

Although Winginx has a control program, command of the web server itself, just like in Denwer, is carried out through .BAT files. I made this conclusion based on black windows popping up out of nowhere when starting or stopping the server.

It is possible that someone (primarily beginners) will find the function of automatically installing scripts (PhpBB, WordPress, Joomla, etc.) very useful when creating a domain, especially considering that the scripts are configured to work with Nginx (rewrite the rewriting rules yourself pretty hard). However, I personally never use such functions and prefer to perform the installation myself, since you never know what and how it is installed there and what surprises may await you in the future.

14. Xampp USB Lite

Latest version: 1.7.7
Russian language: No
Portable version: Yes
Homepage: http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html

Basic kit:

• Apache 2.2.21
• MySQL 5.5.16
• PHP 5.3.8
• phpMyAdmin 3.4.5

XAMPP is a very popular local web server abroad. I think its popularity is due to the fact that this assembly is quite reliable and has versions for all major operating systems: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and even Solaris.

The start and stop of modules happens quite quickly, the welcome page is not confusing and understandable, even though it is in English. Overall, a pretty good software package (with a bunch of goodies in the desktop version) in which there is nothing superfluous or repulsive. Black windows do not attack from around the corner, the control panel is quite ordinary, but of little use.

Among the disadvantages of this software package, I can note precisely this control panel, or rather the lack of this control itself; there is nothing in it except starting and stopping the server. There is no convenient menu with a list of sites, no web server settings section, and no useful tools. You will have to configure the working environment in this build manually.

Comparison

Best results: EasyPHP, Open Server, Winginx.

Testing

Test #1 - False start

The essence of the test is to deliberately corrupt the Apache configuration in order to check whether we will receive any warning or all the indicators will be green and nothing will work. Agree that you have little desire to use a build that misleadingly reports a successful launch and makes you look like an idiot. If the server does not give any signals or works secretly, then the test will also be considered failed.

Test #2 - Difficult paths

The essence of the test is to intentionally install the server in a folder with a complex name; in our test we will use a folder named “C:testMys$ka!._-()zlo()+~%&2% Files”. If PhpMyAdmin (it is taken simply for convenience, since it is in every assembly) does not open, then the test will accordingly fail. Each person is an individual; folders are sometimes called by the most unexpected names. The folder name chosen for the test is correct for Windows and should be processed correctly.

Test #3 - SSL out of the box

The test is extremely simple - we start the server and try to open PhpMyAdmin via the SSL protocol.

Designations:"+" means the test was successful, "-" means the test failed.

Best results: AMPPS, Open Server.

Conclusion

Having examined and tested so many software systems, the question arises - what should you ultimately choose for everyday work? The answer to this question is not so simple; each build will be good for a certain type of task.

For beginners, I suggest using Denwer as the simplest and most time-tested local web server. To all other web developers, as well as those beginners who do not have enough Denwer functionality, I recommend using Open Server.

If you need to quickly familiarize yourself with any well-known script, forum, photo gallery or guest book and don’t want to bother installing it and finding a suitable platform, then you can try AMPPS. Of course, provided that the script you are interested in is supported by this development.

If someone needs to use such rare modules as a local mail server, Node.js, MongoDB, etc., then I think everyone will be able to choose a suitable option among other participants in our review.

Apache by ASF. Without exaggeration, we can say that this is the most widespread Web server in the world. Now there are versions for virtually all known platforms and operating systems, including Windows NT. Support for Windows NT appeared only in the latest version, and this further increased the popularity of Apache in the world. Its undoubted advantages are reliability, exceptional performance and a huge range of functions and additional modules. But still, the “highlight” of this server is its free, free distribution. This makes it possible, in addition to saving money, to quickly correct errors and make necessary additions to the program code. We must pay tribute to those who are creating the Apache Web server - these people free of charge and, most importantly, very quickly cope with the errors they notice. By the way, I note that anyone who wants to contribute to the development of this server can become such a person. Version 1.3.x is considered one of the most stable and fastest among the entire Apache family. The main properties of Apache are cross-platform support, HTTP/1.1 protocol, modular structure, security, and logging. In addition to the standard package, there are a large number of modules that extend the capabilities of Apache. Free distribution and open source allow you to create the most secure modules. It is difficult for any commercial server to compete with Apache in this regard. But, despite all these advantages, there is also a serious gap, which I still would not call a disadvantage: Apache does not have a beautiful installation and management program. During installation you have to deal with the command line. Moreover, when installing under UNIX, sometimes you even have to make adjustments to the include files. Of course, there is a detailed description of what needs to be changed and how, however, at first glance this does not seem very convenient. When working, you have to deal not with a window program, but with text configuration files. Technical support does not appear in the form of beautiful help files or companies providing specialists, but mainly through teleconferences and the exchange of opinions of system administrators. In fact, there are still companies that provide technical support services, but it costs money. But this style, atypical for a serious product, does not make Apache less popular, and on the market it is the most serious competitor for all WWW servers.

iPlanet server ( former Netscape Enterprise server) from Netscape and Sun. Not so long ago, Netscape and Sun merged in the field of creating a Web server, namely: the former Netscape Enterprise server has now moved into a new quality - iPlanet server. This is not just a name change. Now, close integration with Java technologies has been added to many of the qualities of the previous server. The latest version is 4.1. iPlanet Server, which comes on a CD or can be downloaded from the Internet. However, it is not free. There are versions for both Windows NT and some UNIX systems. The ease of installation, configuration and management is attractive. Basic installation takes no more than 15 minutes. All further configuration is done using a Java program launched in a browser from anywhere. As for Java, as you would expect, the server supports the latest Java technologies, such as Java Servlets 2.1, Java Server Pages .92, JVM, JavaScript 1.4. Today this is the only server of this type. In addition to this, iPlanet server includes database access control capabilities. It comes with drivers for working with Oracle, Informix, DB2, and Sybase. In terms of programming for iPlanet server, there is now a trend towards integration with iPlanet Application Server. This will significantly expand the possibilities for creating programs for the iPlanet Web server. All of these properties make the iPlanet Web server attractive for use in various areas. Work is also underway on the FastTrack server, which will be a limited-capacity analogue of a full server, but at the same time free (in full analogy with Netscape FastTrack). As for technical support, all descriptions, reference books and other materials regarding iPlanet server are made at a high level (as is any documentation located on the Netscape server).

Internet Information Server (IIS) from Microsoft. IIS Server is best for Windows NT . This is understandable, because it is unlikely that anyone other than the developers of the operating system can create a program that fully uses the capabilities of this system. Version 4.0 came free with the Service Pack, and version 5.0 comes exclusively as part of Windows 2000. Version 5.0, according to experts, has higher reliability, tighter integration with Windows and a whole range of new features. Installation and configuration takes no more than 10 minutes. It’s especially nice that now there is no need to install any Service Packs and there is no need to reboot the system after installation. With all this, the server itself takes up about 30 MB of disk space and works quite well on a Pentium 200 MHz machine with 128 MB of memory. However, you can install and run the server only on Windows 2000 Server. In addition to convenient installation, the server management system is also conveniently implemented. There are several useful template programs (Wizards) for performing frequent and routine operations. In general, in fairness, the following should be noted: in terms of convenience, few can compete with Microsoft programs. In addition, IIS supports well-known and includes new security standards. Thus, there is support for the well-known methods SSL 3.0, Kerberos 5.0, and the new Fortezza method (a new security standard). The most interesting and distinctive feature of IIS is its support for WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning). This is a recently emerged standard that allows you to turn internal networks into a single space, using the resources of neighboring computers as your own. For IIS users, this means they can more easily share their work files and still have the ability to lock files. However, there are some problems and incompatibility. It is not entirely correct to work simultaneously with Front Page Server; sometimes when changing the configuration you have to restart the system, and errors occur when using the remote administration system. But overall, version 5.0 is a significant improvement over 4.0 in terms of reliability and usability.

An important indicator is server performance. Performance refers to the speed of the server depending on the number of connected clients and the intensity of transmission of the requested data. Performance depends on many factors: the type and speed of the processor, the amount of RAM, the operating system, the presence of other programs, and the settings of the server itself. In the case of Apache, there is a more exotic moment. Usually it is taken in the form of source texts. Therefore, the performance of the compiled program depends on the type and parameters of the compiler and linker. Measuring performance is a very difficult task because not everything depends on the Web server. To compare the performance of Web servers, it is necessary to put them under the same conditions. In fact, it is not entirely clear what it means to put, say, an IIS server running Windows 2000 on Intel and an Apache server running AIX 4.3 on an RS6000 on equal terms. These are completely different operating systems in type and structure and different processors. The most subtle point here, in my opinion, is to distinguish what has to do with the Web server and what has to do with everything else. Nevertheless, such studies are being carried out. The results of some of them can be found on the same Webcompare server. Let us briefly note that in these tests Apache’s performance is slightly lower compared to its two competitors, but, as we have already said, the methodology for conducting these tests and, most importantly, the principle of information processing are not very clear.

In addition to the properties that are inherent directly to WWW servers, there are also issues regarding the operation of the operating system and the Web server as a single whole. This primarily concerns the IIS server as the best for Windows 2000. And the point is not in this server, but in Windows, and also in the fact that the need to restart the entire system arises much more often than in other operating systems. This can cause your Web server to become unstable. Sometimes stability of operation is a more important criterion than ease of control, for example in real-time systems such as Internet radio.

Before you put a website or blog on the Internet, you should test it to see how well the website design will look, how the scripts, feedback form, plugins, and so on will work.
This is the reason why many web developers ( bloggers, web designers or web programmers) use test sites where they conduct checks, tests, experiments, in general, any test work on a future project.
There are two ways to create test sites.
1. Test site on hosting
Some beginners use paid hosting to test projects, hosting two sites - one main (working) and the second additional, test.
Disadvantages of this method:
- lack of space on hosting;
- low Internet speed;
- you don’t always have money to buy paid hosting for testing projects.
2. Test site on your computer
This method, in my opinion, is the best. I want to look at it with you in more detail. First I'll talk about the advantages:
- does not require an Internet connection;
- no financial costs required
What is this test site on the computer? This is about local server, which is installed on your computer. Using a local server, you can quickly and easily test your project.

Someone might say: why even test your project through a local server? After all, just open the file “index.html” and we will see what the site will look like on the Internet. Yes, it’s true, this is enough, but if you use chats, forums, etc. on the site (WordPress, Joomla, drupal), then there is no way without a local server. Moreover, if you use a CMS engine (WordPress, Joomla, drupal) for your project, then you need not only PHP support, but also a MySQL database.

So, local server is a special set of programs that ensures the correct operation of scripts right on your computer. The assembly includes: the server itself, the PHP compiler ( with its help the browser can readphp code and process the page correctly), components for working with databases (Database) and many other programs.

I have prepared for you a list of popular local servers for the site. Read, rate, download and use.

List of popular local servers for the site.

Denwer is a free local server for testing websites, web applications or Internet pages. Denwer includes: Apache web server, phpMyAdmin and MySQL panel for working with databases (databases) and other programs.
The local Denwer server runs only on the Windows operating system.

You can download from the official website denwer.ru

XAMPP– is a free local server for testing websites, web applications or Internet pages with a simple user interface. Supports work on Windows, Solaris, Mac OS X and Linux.

You can download from the official website www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html

AppServ- another free local server. Fast and easy installation.

You can download from the official website www.appservnetwork.com

VertigoServ- easy to install local server.
Works only on Windows operating system.

You can download from the official website vertrigo.sourceforge.net

Zend Server Community Edition- free local server.

You can download from the official website www.zend.com

Open Server is a free local server with high functionality for developing and creating websites. Runs on the Windows operating system.

You can download from the official website open-server.ru

Personally, I use a free local server. Why Denwer and not some other? Most likely a habit. I started with the local Denwer server, that’s why I use it only. And you need to choose which local server you will work with.

Download the local server, install it on your computer, read or watch a video lesson or instructions for use. Test your web projects and let them bring you a lot of income!

A few months ago, in one of my previous articles, I published interesting data from the company comScore, which calculates monthly. If you read that article, you probably remember that Russia has become the leader in Europe in terms of the number of Internet users. So, today I want to provide you with another rather interesting data, but from another, no less popular company - from Netcraft. Today we will find out how many websites there are on the Internet, and which web servers are the most popular in the world.

According to the Netcraft company, as of January 2012, there were as many as 582.72 million websites on the Internet - this is 27.23 million or 4.9% more than was recorded a month earlier, that is, in December 2010 . As you can see, every month the “World Wide Web” is only growing, thanks to which the information space of our planet is becoming larger and larger. And note that this is not the limit. Experts predict that the number of users and the number of sites on the Internet will continue to increase, and this growth will be significant - at least in the coming years.

Also, calculations by Netcraft show that the Apache web server continues to be the most popular in the world - in January 2012 its market share was as much as 64.91%.

And so, actually, the top three look like this:

• Apache – 64.91% (in December 2010 it was 65.22%);
• Microsoft – 14.46% (14.86%);
• nginx – 9.63% (8.85%).

It turns out that at the moment only the Russian web server nginx is increasing its market share, while the leaders are losing it, albeit at a very slow pace. At the same time, it is worth noting one important point - if in statistical calculations we take into account only active Internet sites, then according to the results of January 2012, the nginx web server was slightly, but still ahead of the Microsoft web server in the ranking.

• Apache – 57.93% (a month ago 58.21%);
• nginx – 12.18% (11.61%);
• Microsoft – 12.14% (12.31%);
• Google – 7.90% (8.13%).

In this case, the market share is also growing only for the nginx web server, while the rest are slowly losing their positions. But just a year ago, in January 2011, the market share of the Russian web server was at 8.23%, as a result of which it occupied only the fourth position in the ranking, behind Microsoft (16.76%) and even Google (11. 90%). Thus, we see a serious increase in the popularity of nginx, and as its representatives say, this growth is irreversible - at least by the end of 2012 they expect to increase their market share to 18%. The goal is realistic, so we wish them good luck.

And in order to achieve these goals, in the summer of 2011 the company Nginx Inc. was created, which will now carry out all work on the nginx project. At the same time, in the fall of 2011, this company received very decent investments ($3.0 million), so do not be surprised if the nginx web server at the end of 2012 nevertheless increases its market share to the expected 18%. So we can only wait and follow the news.

As a rule, the average user associates concepts such as “web server” or “hosting” with something completely incomprehensible. Meanwhile, there is nothing complicated about this issue. We will try to explain what a web server is, why it is needed and how it works, without going into technical details, but, so to speak, on the fingers. Let us separately dwell on the question of how to create and configure such a server on a home computer terminal or laptop.

What is a web server?

The most important thing in this matter is to understand that a server of this type is nothing more than a computer on the Internet with the appropriate software installed.

But this absolutely does not mean that you cannot create your own configuration at home. Since Windows operating systems are more common in our country, questions about how to create a web server on Ubuntu (Linux) will not be considered.

What are web servers for?

This type of server stores a lot of information on the Internet. At the same time, the same antiviruses turn to them to update their own databases. The user also has a direct relationship with such servers by making requests in the browser (searching for information, accessing a page, etc.).

So it turns out that all the pages present on the Internet are stored precisely on web servers, to which, on the one hand, a user request or an installed program is accessed, and on the other hand, the result is returned by the very server to which an attempt is made to access.

How does it all work?

All users are accustomed to the fact that to enter some resource on the Internet (web page) on which information of a certain type is located, the prefix www (or http) and the subsequent name are simply entered in the address bar. But no one thinks about how the web server understands the request and produces the result.

In fact, here we need to distinguish between the concepts of server and client. In our case, the page posted on the Internet is saved on a remote server. The user's computer acts as a client from which the call is made.

To access the Internet, programs called web browsers are used. They translate the user request into a digital code that the web server can recognize. The server processes it and produces a response in the appropriate code, and the browser already converts millions of zeros and ones into a normal form with text, graphic, sound or video information that is placed on the page.

The most popular web servers

Of all the server software, Apache and Microsoft IIS are considered to be the most common. The first is more popular and is mostly used on UNIX-like systems, although it can be installed in a Windows environment. In addition, the Apache server is completely free software and is compatible with almost all known operating systems. However, as noted, this software is intended mainly for professional programmers and developers.

The Microsoft software product is designed for the average user, who can install and configure such a web server for Windows without the additional help of a qualified specialist.

However, based on official statistics, Apache software uses about 60% of all existing servers, so we will consider the issue of installing and configuring the initial configuration using its example.

Web server on a home computer: installation

To install, you will need to download a special server package, abbreviated as WAMP, which includes three main components:

• Apache is a server software shell that can work independently, but only if there is no dynamic content on the hosted pages.
• PHP is a programming language used by add-ons to manage dynamic content servers like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal.
• MySQL is a unified database management system, used, again, when creating sites with dynamic content.

Installation can be done from the WampServer package. To do this, just follow the instructions of the “Wizard”, who at one stage will offer to select the Internet browser that will be used by default.

To do this, you will need to go to the folder with the browser executable file (if it is not Internet Explorer, it is usually located in the Program Files directory). At the same time, the browser itself should be added to the Windows Firewall exceptions list. At the final stage, check the box next to the immediate launch item, after which a corresponding icon will appear in the system tray, which you need to click on and change to select launch localhost.

If everything is done correctly, the server home page will appear. Next, you will be prompted to install additional components (if this is not done, the system will generate an error). Basically, the installation concerns additional add-ons, elements and components that will be used by the server in the future.

Example of setting up and testing a server

Setting up a web server is a little more complicated. First, in the system tray menu, select the WWW folder (the place where add-ons or HTML files are stored). After that, write the following text in Notepad:

Hello!

You can simply copy the text into Notepad and save the file under the name index.php in the same WWW folder (although you can do without it, since this step is used solely for checking the local host). Instead of a greeting, you can insert any other text or phrase.

Then you need to refresh the page in the browser (F5), after which the content will be displayed on the screen. But the page will not be accessible to other computers.

To open access, you need to change the httpd.conf file, writing in the section that begins with the following lines:

Order Allow, Deny

Instead of an afterword

Of course, with regard to understanding the essence of the functioning or settings of a home web server, only the most initial and brief information is provided here, so to speak, for a general understanding. In fact, all processes are much more complex, especially in terms of converting requests and issuing responses, not to mention setting up a server at home. If the user wants to understand these issues, they cannot do without at least basic knowledge of the same WordPress add-on and the PHP language. On the other hand, to publish primitive pages containing mostly text information only, you can use this initial information.