Xampp & Wamp

Now as most of you may know; linux, apache, mysql, and php (LAMP) is one of the most deployed software stacks in the world.

Almost every web hosting company uses LAMP and this makes it a very cheap and viable solution to build your applications on.

However, if you are not comfortable with Linux or prefer Windows then Xampp or Wamp is what you need. These applications will basically setup and deploy the apache server with php and mysql all integrated together.

I have tried and used Xampp successfully and am currently downloading Wamp to give it a shot. I really like being able to just double click on an installer and let it setup everything for me. There may be minor issues like setting up security correctly, firewalls etc but it’s not necessary if you’re developing on a home machine.

So if you’ve ever wanted to get into the open source development but afraid of Linux then this is a must. Easy to setup and use in no time with a full stack solution on a Windows machine.

My View on PostgreSQL & MySQL

Well as most of you may know, PostgreSQL and MySQL are 2 of the most commonly used open source databases.
I have experience in using both of these excellent databases but a little more in MySQL.

MySQL Logo

I’ve always found MySQL easier to use because I do not have enough experience and knowledge in PostgreSQL. PostgreSQL certainly has many more features than MySQL and is extremely stable and standard compliant.

Recently I’ve been looking into settling on a database system that provides me with all the features I need while being easy to use, standard compliant and stable.
So on I go onto trusty Google and search for MySQL 6 since I remember that it was the next major releases. Clicking the link I am surprised to find that MySQL 6 is no longer in development.

Rather, the guys at MySQL have decided on a new Development Cycle. This may or may not be a good move but just dropping an expected release makes me feel uneasy about stability.

So I have a look at the latest version of PostgreSQL and it has the features that they promised and some very advanced ones too.

PostgreSQL Logo

So in my opinion, I see PostgreSQL as a much more stable database that has some really advanced features that I will hopefully learn to use one day.

Sure it may not be as popular as MySQL but it certainly is more technically sound and has enterprise features that sets it apart from all other databases out there, even commercial ones that cost an arm and a leg.