How to Install PHP on Windows, macOS, and Linux

1. Windows

Option 1: Install PHP using XAMPP

Download XAMPP: Go to the XAMPP website and download the latest version for Windows.
Install XAMPP: Run the installer and follow the installation wizard. Ensure PHP and Apache are selected.
Start Apache Server: Open the XAMPP Control Panel and start the Apache server.
Verify PHP Installation: Open your browser and go to http://localhost. You should see the XAMPP dashboard.
```
<?php
phpinfo();
?>
```
Create a file named info.php in the htdocs directory (C:\xampp\htdocs\ by default) with the above code. Open http://localhost/info.php in your browser to see the PHP configuration page.

Option 2: Install PHP Manually

Download PHP: Go to the PHP for Windows downloads page and download the latest Thread Safe version.
Extract PHP: Extract the downloaded PHP zip file to a directory like C:\php.
Configure PHP: Rename php.ini-development to php.ini in the PHP directory and edit it as needed.
Add PHP to System PATH:
- Right-click on "This PC" or "Computer" and select "Properties."
- Click on "Advanced system settings" and then "Environment Variables."
- Find the "Path" variable and add C:\php to the list.
Verify Installation: Open Command Prompt and type php -v. You should see the installed PHP version.

2. macOS

Using Homebrew

Install Homebrew: Open Terminal and run the following command:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Install PHP: Once Homebrew is installed, run:
```
brew install php
```
Verify Installation: After the installation is complete, verify it by typing php -v in Terminal.
Start PHP: Start the built-in PHP server with the command:
```
php -S localhost:8000
```

3. Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

Using APT Package Manager

Update Package Lists: Open Terminal and run:
```
sudo apt update
```
Install PHP: Install PHP along with common modules:
```
sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql
```
Verify Installation: Check the PHP version:
```
php -v
```
Restart Apache: If you're using Apache, restart it:
```
sudo systemctl restart apache2
```
Test PHP: Create a file named info.php in /var/www/html/ with the following content:
```
<?php
phpinfo();
?>
```
Open http://localhost/info.php in your browser to see the PHP configuration page.

Summary

Windows: Use XAMPP for an easy setup or install PHP manually.
macOS: Use Homebrew to install PHP quickly.
Linux (Ubuntu/Debian): Use APT to install PHP and configure Apache.