How to set up XAMPP (quick)

Download XAMPP for your operating system (mine on one computer is Windows 8.1 64-bit, on another Windows 7, etc.) Windows XAMPP download link. If you need Linux or something else, search “XAMPP ____ download.”
Run the program. Just leave all the install options checked so they all install (you don’t need them all, but to keep it simple). I installed all mine.
Run the program once it’s installed.
You may see an error if you have Skype running. This is because Skype and XAMPP use the same “port.” Sign out of Skype. Then click “start” on “Apache” and it should display, “Attempting to start Apache app…
… Status change detected: running.” (If it doesn’t, you have a problem, and you’re going to have to web search out your problem. I won’t be covering that here.) Then click “start” on MySQL” and it should run. You now are running — you have everything you need.

Image by Craig Chamberlin
To check it, go to your “browser” (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Explorer or other) and type in “localhost” in the address bar. It should display XAMPP. This means you have sent a request with your browser to look back into your computer and bring up a webpage stored on your computer.

Select your language and click “phpMyAdmin.”
If you get a screen, it is working.
Go back one screen to the XAMPP interface and click “phpinfo().” If you get a screen, it is working.

Go back one screen again to the XAMPP interface and select WordPress or any installer you want to use.

Click “phpMyAdmin”
Click “Databases”
Type in “WordPress1” in the “Database name” field and click “Create.”
Open “htdocs” (search your computer for “htdocs”) and create a folder called “wordpress1.”
Download WordPress to your computer (click here to download it).
Install the zip folder in the “wordpress1” folder.
Copy your theme into the content folder if you are working on a theme already.
Inside the “wordpress1” folder, click “wp-config-sample” with notepad.
Replace “database_name_here” with “wordpress1.” Change “username_here” to “root” and delete the material inside the quotes for “password.”
Save the file as “wp-config.”
Type “localhost/wordpress1” in your browser.
Click “OK go.”
Set a username and password on the WordPress install that comes up. Bear in mind to keep this username and password strong and secure. Out of every CMS, WordPress is the most hacked!