[Hawkeye_a]

This is a developer question.

I've been a MS developer(.Net, IIS, MSSQL) at work for the last 5 years, and a Mac developer at home.

I want to get into the LAMP model and know that i can configure MySQL, Apache and PHP individually on the Mac, but was wondering if anyone here can recommend a good application like XAMPP that presents a good front end.

A link to a good set of tutorials would be awesome.

I want to get familiar with PHP and the LAMP model and try to move away from .Net in general.

Cheers

[iMOTOR]

MAMP: Mac, Apache, MySQL, PHP

LAMP stacks work more or less the same on a Mac as they do on Linux, so even with a fancy front end, be prepared to get comfortable with the UNIX shell.

[besson3c]

I don't know of any front ends and would not recommend one anyway, it's often very useful to understand how a LAMP stack is built so that you know how to get at log files, you know how to enable and disable Apache and PHP modules/extensions, how to adjust memory limits, change configurations around, get into URL rewriting/redirecting, etc. If you master the Apache configuration you can also get into alternate web servers like lighttpd or nginx which are similar but more lightweight. You can waste a lot of time troubleshooting a web app and not realizing that it is running out of memory due a leak or just needing more memory than you have allocated, that you are missing a required PHP extension, etc. I know that the work involved to learn how these pieces interact with each other can seem daunting, but since you say you want to become familiar I think this is would be time well spent.

Alternatively, you could install something like MAMP and get something up and running quickly, but you'd have a black box that just works in a magical way to you. I'm not suggesting that you go apeshit getting all esoteric with this stuff, but a basic familiarization so that you more or less "get it" would be smart, I think.

I'd recommend building your own server environment using Macports or homebrew (Homebrew — MacPorts driving you to drink? Try Homebrew!). The latter would be simpler and quicker to get up and running if you were inclined to do a sort of hybrid approach somewhere in between roll-your-own and turn-key.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I don't know of any front ends and would not recommend one anyway, it's often very useful to understand how a LAMP stack is built so that you know how to get at log files, you know how to enable and disable Apache and PHP modules/extensions, how to adjust memory limits, change configurations around, get into URL rewriting/redirecting, etc.

I have to agree with besson here, far better to install the components one by one. I would however do it with Linux - far more support/forums/people etc for troubleshooting issues. Linux in a VM on Mac is easy.

[iMOTOR]

Here’s a great reference if you want to get a feel for how OSX works behind the scenes:

Amazon.com: Mac OS X for Unix Geeks (Leopard) (9780596520625): Ernest E. Rothman, Brian Jepson, Rich Rosen: Books

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by mattyb 

I have to agree with besson here, far better to install the components one by one. I would however do it with Linux - far more support/forums/people etc for troubleshooting issues. Linux in a VM on Mac is easy.

I agree, I would suggest Debian or CentOS... You can literally have a CentOS or Debian web server up and running in a minute or two after the OS has been installed.

[Tiresias]

The thing to remember is that soft material typically slopes into an article for effective operation of the picture.

[andi*pandi]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye_a 

I want to get into the LAMP model and know that i can configure MySQL, Apache and PHP individually on the Mac, but was wondering if anyone here can recommend a good application like XAMPP that presents a good front end.

Why not, XAMPP?

apache friends - xampp for mac os x

So easy even I did it!