Follow these steps to install PHP on Windows:

1. Download PHP: Go to the official PHP website at php.net and navigate to the
downloads section. Choose the Windows version that corresponds to your system
architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
2. Extract the PHP files: Once the PHP zip file is downloaded, extract its contents to a
folder of your choice. It is recommended to choose a directory with a simple path,
like C:\php, for easier configuration.
3. Configure PHP: Open the extracted folder and locate the php.ini-development file.
Rename this file to php.ini. Open php.ini in a text editor and make any necessary
configuration changes. For example, you might want to enable or disable certain
extensions or adjust the file upload limits.
4. Set environment variables: To run PHP from anywhere in the command prompt,
you need to add the PHP installation directory to your system’s PATH environment
variable. To do this, right-click on the Computer icon, go to Properties, click on
Advanced system settings, and then navigate to the Environment Variables section.
Edit the PATH variable and add the path to the PHP installation directory.
5. Test the installation: Open the command prompt and type php -v to check if PHP
is properly installed. You should see the PHP version and other relevant information
displayed.

Setting up PHP Environment

Once PHP is installed on your Windows machine, the next step is to set up the PHP
environment to ensure your code runs properly. Follow these steps to configure
your PHP environment:

1. Edit php.ini: Open the php.ini file that you renamed in the previous section. This file
contains various settings that control how PHP behaves. You can modify these
settings to suit your development needs. Pay attention to options like error reporting,
maximum execution time, and memory limits.
2. Enable extensions: PHP has a wide range of extensions that provide additional
functionalities. To enable an extension, locate the extensions section in the php.ini
file and remove the semicolon (;) from the beginning of the line. The extensions you
enable will depend on the requirements of your project.
3. Configure error reporting: Error reporting is crucial for debugging and
troubleshooting your PHP code. In the php.ini file, look for
the error_reporting directive and set it to display all errors by using E_ALL. You can
also enable or disable specific error types as needed.
4. Restart the web server: If you are using PHP in conjunction with a web server like
Apache or IIS, you will need to restart the server for the changes to take effect. This
 can usually be done through the server management interface or by restarting the
respective services.
In addition to configuring the php.ini file, you may also want to set up a development
environment using an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or a text editor.
Here are a few popular choices:

 Visual Studio Code (VS Code): A lightweight and feature-rich text editor with
excellent PHP support and a vast array of extensions to enhance your
development experience.
 PHPStorm: A powerful IDE specifically designed for PHP development, offering a
wide range of features such as code completion, debugging tools, and version
control integration.
 Sublime Text: A popular text editor known for its simplicity and extensibility. It
provides a smooth coding experience for PHP developers and offers various
plugins for added functionality.
Setting up your PHP environment correctly ensures that your code is executed
properly and that you have the necessary tools to streamline your development
workflow. In the next sections, we will explore different methods of running PHP
code on Windows, including using the command prompt, text editors, and web
browsers.

Running PHP Code in CMD

The Command Prompt (CMD) is a built-in tool in Windows that allows you to run
various commands and execute programs, including PHP scripts. Follow these
steps to run PHP code in CMD:

1. Open CMD: Open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + R or
searching for “CMD” in the start menu.
2. Navigate to PHP directory: In the Command Prompt, navigate to the directory
where your PHP script is located using the cd (Change Directory) command. For
example, if your PHP script is saved in the C:\php directory, type cd C:\php and
press Enter.
3. Execute PHP code: Once you are in the correct directory, you can run your PHP
script by typing php filename.php and pressing Enter. Replace filename.php with the
name of your PHP script.
The output of your PHP script will be displayed in the Command Prompt window. If
there are any errors or warnings, they will be visible in the output as well. You can
 Running PHP Code in a Text Editor

Many text editors provide built-in functionality or plugins to run and execute PHP
code directly within the editor itself. This allows you to write and test your PHP code
without leaving the familiar environment of your preferred text editor. Here are the
steps to run PHP code in a text editor:

1. Select a text editor: Choose a text editor that has built-in support for running PHP
code or has a plugin available for running PHP. Some popular choices include
Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Sublime Text, and Atom.
2. Install necessary plugins: Install any necessary plugins or extensions for your
chosen text editor. These plugins usually provide the functionality to execute PHP
code within the editor itself.
3. Create or open a PHP file: Create a new PHP file or open an existing one in your
text editor.
4. Execute PHP code: With the PHP file open, you can run the PHP code by using the
specific keyboard shortcut or command provided by the text editor or plugin.
Once the PHP code is executed, the output will be displayed within the text editor
itself, often in a designated output panel or console. This allows you to view the
result of your PHP code, including any errors or warnings, without switching to
another application or opening a browser.

Running PHP Code in a Browser

To fully test and run PHP-based web applications, it is essential to execute PHP
code in a browser. This allows you to see the output and interact with the PHP
application as it would be experienced by end users. Follow these steps to run PHP
code in a browser:

1. Set up a local web server: Install a local web server such as Apache, Nginx, or
XAMPP, which includes Apache, PHP, and MySQL bundled together. This will
create a development environment where PHP code can be executed.
2. Configure the web server: After installing the web server, ensure that the
necessary PHP configuration is properly set up. This may involve modifying the
server configuration file, such as the Apache httpd.conf file, to include necessary
PHP modules and enable PHP support.
3. Create or open a PHP file: Create a new PHP file or open an existing one in a text
editor.
4. Place the PHP file in the web server’s document root: Move the PHP file to the
appropriate location within the web server’s document root directory. This is typically
the “htdocs” or “www” folder within the web server installation directory.
5. Access the PHP file through the browser: Open a web browser and type the URL
corresponding to the PHP file located within the web server’s document root. For
example, if your PHP file is named “index.php” and it is located in a subdirectory
named “myproject” within the document root, the URL format would be
“http://localhost/myproject/index.php”.
When accessing the PHP file through the browser, the web server will process the
PHP code and generate a response. The generated output, along with any HTML,
CSS, or other web content, will be displayed in the browser window.