Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular and powerful code editor that is widely used by developers across the globe. It supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, including PHP. If you are a PHP developer who uses XAMPP as your local web server, you might be wondering how to run PHP files in VS Code with XAMPP.
After we explained How to open php file in Google chrome using xampp In this article, we will guide you through the process of configuring VS Code to run PHP files using XAMPP.
Run PHP file In Visual Studio Code with XAMPP
Step 1: Install XAMPP
Before we get started with configuring VS Code, we need to have XAMPP installed on our system. XAMPP is a cross-platform web server solution that includes Apache, MySQL, PHP, and other components required to run web applications locally.
To install XAMPP, go to the Apache Friends website and download the appropriate version for your operating system. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Step 2: Install the PHP Extension for VS Code
The next step is to install the PHP extension for VS Code. This extension provides support for PHP language features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging, and more.
To install the PHP extension, open VS Code and click on the Extensions icon on the left-hand side of the window. Search for “PHP” in the search bar and click on the “Install” button next to the “PHP IntelliSense” extension.
Once the extension is installed, you should see a notification in the bottom-right corner of the VS Code window. Click on “Reload” to activate the extension.
Step 3: Configure XAMPP in VS Code
The next step is to configure VS Code to use XAMPP as the local web server for PHP files. To do this, we need to modify the VS Code settings.
Open the VS Code settings by clicking on the gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the window and selecting “Settings.” Alternatively, you can press “Ctrl + ,” on Windows or “Cmd + ,” on macOS to open the settings.
In the search bar, type “php.validate.executablePath” and click on the “Edit in settings.json” link. This will open the settings.json file in VS Code.
Add the following line to the settings.json file:
“php.validate.executablePath“: “C:/xampp/php/php.exe”
Replace “C:/xampp” with the path where XAMPP is installed on your system.
Save the settings.json file and close it.
Step 4: Create a PHP File
Now that we have configured VS Code to use XAMPP as the local web server for PHP files, we can create a PHP file and test it.
Create a new file in VS Code by clicking on the “New File” icon in the top-left corner of the window. Save the file with a .php extension, for example, “index.php“.
Add the following code to the file:
echo “Hello, World!”;
This code will output the text “Hello, World!” when the PHP file is run.
Save the file.
Step 5: Start the Apache Web Server
Before we can run the PHP file, we need to start the Apache web server in XAMPP.
Open the XAMPP control panel by clicking on the “XAMPP Control Panel” shortcut on your desktop or by navigating to the XAMPP installation directory and running the “xampp-control.exe” file.
Click on the “Start” button next to “Apache” to start the Apache web server.
Step 6: Run the PHP File in VS Code
Now that we have started the Apache web server, we can run the PHP file in VS Code.
Open the PHP file in VS Code by double-click
Step 7 : Start Apache and MySQL
After installing XAMPP, you will need to start Apache and MySQL in order to run PHP files in Visual Studio Code. To do this, go to the XAMPP Control Panel and click on the Start button next to Apache and MySQL.
Once you have started Apache and MySQL, you will be able to run PHP files in your browser by typing in the local server address. The default address for XAMPP is http://localhost/.
Step 8 : Open a PHP file in Visual Studio Code
Now that you have XAMPP installed and Apache and MySQL running, you can open a PHP file in Visual Studio Code. To do this, go to File > Open and select the PHP file that you want to open.
Step 9 : Install the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code
To run PHP files in Visual Studio Code, you will need to install the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code. This extension provides syntax highlighting, code completion, and other features that are useful for working with PHP files.
To install the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code, go to the Extensions tab on the left side of the Visual Studio Code window and search for “PHP“. Click on the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code and then click on the Install button.
Step 10 : Configure the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code
Once you have installed the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code, you will need to configure it to work with XAMPP. To do this, go to File > Preferences > Settings and search for “PHP“.
In the PHP settings, you will need to set the path to your PHP executable. The default path for XAMPP is “C:\xampp\php\php.exe“, but you may need to adjust this path depending on your installation.
Step 11 : Run the PHP file in Visual Studio Code
Now that you have configured the PHP Extension for Visual Studio Code, you can run the PHP file in Visual Studio Code. To do this, open the PHP file that you want to run and press the F5 key.
This will launch the built-in Visual Studio Code debugger and open a new tab in your browser. The PHP file will be executed on the server and the output will be displayed in the browser.
Conclusion
Running PHP files in Visual Studio Code with XAMPP is a great way to develop and test PHP applications. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can quickly set up a local PHP development environment and start building PHP applications.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced PHP developer, Visual Studio Code and XAMPP provide a powerful set of tools for working with PHP files. With syntax highlighting, code completion, and debugging capabilities, you can streamline your PHP development workflow and increase your productivity.