


XAMPP vs. Laragon vs. Laravel Herd: Which One Should You Use for PHP and Laravel Projects?
Jan 07, 2025 pm 02:10 PMWhen starting a PHP or Laravel project, choosing the right local development environment is crucial. Tools like XAMPP, Laravel Herd, and Laragon offer different features and workflows tailored for developers. Each of these tools has its strengths and use cases, but which one is better for your next project?
In this post, we'll explore:
- What XAMPP, Laragon, and Laravel Herd are
- Key features and comparisons
- Which one is better suited for Laravel, PHP, and other programming languages
1. What are XAMPP, Laragon, and Laravel Herd?
XAMPP
XAMPP is one of the oldest and most popular local server environments. It includes:
- Apache
- MySQL (MariaDB)
- PHP
- Perl It’s simple to install, widely supported, and works well for generic PHP development.
Pros:
- Easy setup and cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux).
- Good for beginners learning PHP.
Cons:
- Performance can be slow for large projects.
- Limited modern tooling (e.g., no native SSL, Docker-like portability, etc.).
Laragon
Laragon is a modern local development environment specifically designed for Windows users. It’s lightweight, fast, and works not just with PHP but also with Node.js, Python, Ruby, and more.
Key features:
- Portable and self-contained.
- Supports SSL, Composer, and database management out-of-the-box.
- Extremely fast startup times and customizable stacks.
Pros:
- Best for Laravel and modern PHP projects.
- Easy to switch PHP versions and create isolated environments.
- Great performance compared to XAMPP.
Cons:
- Windows-only (though WSL2 can be a workaround for Linux/macOS).
Laravel Herd
Laravel Herd is a Laravel-specific development environment created by the Laravel team for macOS users.
Key features:
- Designed specifically for Laravel.
- Includes Nginx, MySQL, and PHP.
- Comes pre-configured with the Laravel ecosystem (like Sail, Valet).
Pros:
- Best for Laravel projects.
- Minimal setup for macOS users.
- High performance with native macOS integration.
Cons:
- Mac-only.
- Limited flexibility for non-Laravel projects.
2. Comparison of Features
Feature | Xampp | Laragon | Laravel Herd |
---|---|---|---|
Platform | Cross-platform | Windows-only | Mac-only |
Ease of Use | Beginner-friendly | Developer-friendly | Highly optimized |
Laravel Focus | No | Yes | Yes |
PHP Version Control | Manual setup | One-click switch | Pre-configured |
SSL Support | Limited | Built-in | Built-in |
Flexibility | Moderate | High | Laravel-specific |
Performance | Moderate | High | High |
3. Which One Should You Use?
For Laravel Projects
- If you’re a macOS user, Laravel Herd is the easiest and most optimized choice for Laravel.
- For Windows users, Laragon is perfect as it offers a Laravel-friendly stack with additional tools like SSL and Composer.
For General PHP Development
- XAMPP is still a solid choice for beginners or those working on smaller PHP projects. However, for better performance and flexibility, consider Laragon.
For Other Programming Languages
If you work with Node.js, Python, Ruby, or other languages alongside PHP, Laragon is the most versatile option.
4. My Recommendation
For most developers:
- Choose Laragon if you’re on Windows, as it’s versatile and designed for modern workflows.
- Choose Laravel Herd if your primary focus is Laravel and you’re on macOS.
- Stick to XAMPP only if you’re just starting out or need something very simple.
Conclusion
Choosing the right local development tool can make or break your productivity. While XAMPP has been a trusted solution for years, Laragon and Laravel Herd provide modern alternatives tailored for Laravel and other PHP projects. Ultimately, the choice depends on your operating system, your workflow, and whether you need flexibility or Laravel-specific features.
Which tool do you prefer for your projects? Let me know in the comments!
The above is the detailed content of XAMPP vs. Laragon vs. Laravel Herd: Which One Should You Use for PHP and Laravel Projects?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

To determine the strength of the password, it is necessary to combine regular and logical processing. The basic requirements include: 1. The length is no less than 8 digits; 2. At least containing lowercase letters, uppercase letters, and numbers; 3. Special character restrictions can be added; in terms of advanced aspects, continuous duplication of characters and incremental/decreasing sequences need to be avoided, which requires PHP function detection; at the same time, blacklists should be introduced to filter common weak passwords such as password and 123456; finally it is recommended to combine the zxcvbn library to improve the evaluation accuracy.

Common problems and solutions for PHP variable scope include: 1. The global variable cannot be accessed within the function, and it needs to be passed in using the global keyword or parameter; 2. The static variable is declared with static, and it is only initialized once and the value is maintained between multiple calls; 3. Hyperglobal variables such as $_GET and $_POST can be used directly in any scope, but you need to pay attention to safe filtering; 4. Anonymous functions need to introduce parent scope variables through the use keyword, and when modifying external variables, you need to pass a reference. Mastering these rules can help avoid errors and improve code stability.

To safely handle PHP file uploads, you need to verify the source and type, control the file name and path, set server restrictions, and process media files twice. 1. Verify the upload source to prevent CSRF through token and detect the real MIME type through finfo_file using whitelist control; 2. Rename the file to a random string and determine the extension to store it in a non-Web directory according to the detection type; 3. PHP configuration limits the upload size and temporary directory Nginx/Apache prohibits access to the upload directory; 4. The GD library resaves the pictures to clear potential malicious data.

There are three common methods for PHP comment code: 1. Use // or # to block one line of code, and it is recommended to use //; 2. Use /.../ to wrap code blocks with multiple lines, which cannot be nested but can be crossed; 3. Combination skills comments such as using /if(){}/ to control logic blocks, or to improve efficiency with editor shortcut keys, you should pay attention to closing symbols and avoid nesting when using them.

AgeneratorinPHPisamemory-efficientwaytoiterateoverlargedatasetsbyyieldingvaluesoneatatimeinsteadofreturningthemallatonce.1.Generatorsusetheyieldkeywordtoproducevaluesondemand,reducingmemoryusage.2.Theyareusefulforhandlingbigloops,readinglargefiles,or

The key to writing PHP comments is to clarify the purpose and specifications. Comments should explain "why" rather than "what was done", avoiding redundancy or too simplicity. 1. Use a unified format, such as docblock (/*/) for class and method descriptions to improve readability and tool compatibility; 2. Emphasize the reasons behind the logic, such as why JS jumps need to be output manually; 3. Add an overview description before complex code, describe the process in steps, and help understand the overall idea; 4. Use TODO and FIXME rationally to mark to-do items and problems to facilitate subsequent tracking and collaboration. Good annotations can reduce communication costs and improve code maintenance efficiency.

ToinstallPHPquickly,useXAMPPonWindowsorHomebrewonmacOS.1.OnWindows,downloadandinstallXAMPP,selectcomponents,startApache,andplacefilesinhtdocs.2.Alternatively,manuallyinstallPHPfromphp.netandsetupaserverlikeApache.3.OnmacOS,installHomebrew,thenrun'bre

TolearnPHPeffectively,startbysettingupalocalserverenvironmentusingtoolslikeXAMPPandacodeeditorlikeVSCode.1)InstallXAMPPforApache,MySQL,andPHP.2)Useacodeeditorforsyntaxsupport.3)TestyoursetupwithasimplePHPfile.Next,learnPHPbasicsincludingvariables,ech
