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How to Install LAMP with WSL on Windows 11

Richard

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This content offers a comprehensive guide for students and new users on installing the LAMP stack in Windows 11 using the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2). Instructions are provided for setting up WSL2, installing a Linux distro (using Ubuntu as an example), and installing several components of the LAMP stack including the Apache HTTP…

This brief tutorial shows students and new users how to install the LAMP stack in Windows 11 using Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2).

You can install and run Linux servers and services directly from a Windows desktop or server via Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) without installing third-party apps or virtual machines. In 2017, Microsoft released WSL and WSL2, which lets developers run a GNU/Linux environment, including most command-line tools, utilities, and applications directly in Windows without setting up a virtual machine or dual-boot.

WSL2 is the new and improved version that comes with a performance boost and full system call compatibility, and it is built with a new architecture that delivers features that make WSL an amazing way to run a Linux environment in Windows.

If you need to run the LAMP stack to run servers and services built for Linux, you can do it directly from Windows 11. The steps below show you how to install and configure it without fuss. WSL and 2 are slightly different from Windows 10, but we will show you how to do that.

To install and run the LAMP stack on Windows 11, you must first install and enable WSL.

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux in Windows 11

To enable WSL in Windows, you must open the Command Prompt as administrator. Click on Start, then begin typing Command Prompt.

Next, right-click the Command Prompt app and choose to Run as administrator.

When the console opens, run the commands below to install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL):

wsl --install

Wait for WSL to be installed.

After installing, you should get a success message similar to the lines below:

Installing: Virtual Machine Platform
Virtual Machine Platform has been installed.
Installing: Windows Subsystem for Linux
Windows Subsystem for Linux has been installed.
Downloading: WSL Kernel
Installing: WSL Kernel
WSL Kernel has been installed.
Downloading: GUI App Support
Installing: GUI App Support
GUI App Support has been installed.
Downloading: Ubuntu
The requested operation is successful. Changes will not be effective until the system is rebooted.

Restart your computer.

WSL should be installed and ready to use. When you want to update, simply run the commands below:

wsl --update

Install Specific Linux distro on Windows 11

Now that WSL is installed, you can install your own Linux distro. To list the available distributions to install, simply run the commands below:

wsl --list --online

You should then see all available distributions that can be installed on WSL.

NAME            FRIENDLY NAME
Ubuntu          Ubuntu
Debian          Debian GNU/Linux
kali-linux      Kali Linux Rolling
openSUSE-42     openSUSE Leap 42
SLES-12         SUSE Linux Enterprise Server v12
Ubuntu-16.04    Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
Ubuntu-18.04    Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Ubuntu-20.04    Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

To install a Linux distribution from the list above, simply run the commands below using the distribution name. For example, to install Ubuntu 20.04, run the commands below:

wsl --install -d ubuntu-20.04

You should then get a message that the distribution is installed.

Downloading: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
Installing: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS has been installed.
Launching Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

After installing, you should get a Ubuntu command console with setup details.

Installing, this may take a few minutes.
Please create a default UNIX user account. The username does not need to match your Windows username.
For more information visit: https://aka.ms/wslusers
Enter new UNIX username: Richard
New password:
Retype new password:
passwd: password updated successfully
Installation successful!
To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

Welcome to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.4.0-22000-Microsoft x86_64)

Some troubleshooting commands to run when you run into issues.

wsl --set-default-version 1
bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto start

Now that Ubuntu Linux is installed and ready, continue below to install the LAMP stack on Windows 11. First, install the Apache HTTP Server.

Install Apache HTTP Server

Apache is a core component of the LAMP stack and one of the most popular open-source web servers available today.

To install Apache on Ubuntu, run the commands below:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

After installing Apache, the commands below can be used to stop and start Apache services.

sudo service apache2 stop
sudo service apache2 start

To test whether Apache is installed and functioning, open your web browser and browse to the server’s IP address or hostname.

http://localhost

Apache works as expected if you see the above page in your browser.

Install MariaDB Server

MySQL or MariaDB is another core component of the LAMP stack.

A truly open-source database server that you can use with your open-source project is the MariaDB database server. It is fast, secure, and the default server for almost all Linux servers.

To install MariaDB, run the commands below:

sudo apt install mariadb-server mariadb-client

After installing MariaDB, the commands below can stop, start, and enable the service to start when the server boots.

sudo service mysql stop
sudo service mysql start

Next, run the commands below to secure the database server with a root password if you were not prompted to do so during the installation.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

When prompted, answer the questions below by following the guide.

  • Enter current password for root (enter for none): Just press the Enter
  • Set root password? [Y/n]: Y
  • New password: Enter password
  • Re-enter new password: Repeat password
  • Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y
  • Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y
  • Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]:  Y
  • Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]:  Y

To verify and validate that MariaDB is installed and working, log in to the database console using the commands below:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Type the root password when prompted.

mariadb welcome

The server was successfully installed if you see a similar screen.

Install PHP and Related Modules

PHP is a script that glues all the LAMP components together and is required for PHP-based apps. Run the commands below to install PHP and related modules to support most PHP-based apps. 

sudo apt install php-fpm php-common php-mysql php-gmp php-curl php-intl php-mbstring php-xmlrpc php-gd php-xml php-cli php-zip

After installing PHP, go and configure some basic settings that may be required for your PHP project to function properly.

For this tutorial, PHP 7.4 was installed. Based on your environment, another version of PHP might be installed. So verify that.

sudo nano /etc/php/7.4/apache2/php.ini

Below are good settings to configure for most PHP apps.

file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
short_open_tag = On
memory_limit = 256M
cgi.fix_pathinfo = 0
upload_max_filesize = 100M
max_execution_time = 360
date.timezone = America/Chicago

That should get PHP 7.4 installed with some basic settings to allow many PHP apps to run and function.

After setting up PHP, restart Apache services to the settings to apply.

sudo service apache2 stop
sudo service apache2 start

That’s it! You’ve learned how to install the LAMP stack on Windows 11 with WSL support.

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to install the LAMP stack with WSL 2 on Windows 11. If you find any error, please report it in the comment form below.

Richard Avatar
Richard
Richard, the owner and lead writer at Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast passionate about simplifying complex IT topics. His years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations have honed his ability to provide practical insights and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He’s deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions. He enjoys watching football, cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, and spending time with his family when he’s not writing or managing Geek Rewind.

Comments

  1. Ken Avatar
    Ken

    I’m running WSL2 on a Windows 11 PC. I’m always running into this error when I try to initialize MySQL after installing it:
    Error 2002 can’t connect to local mysql server through socket ‘/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock

    Reply
    1. kamil Avatar
      kamil

      try install windows 11, not upgraded from 10

      Reply
  2. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    The file ‘sudo nano /etc/php/7.4/apache2/php.ini’ doesn’t exist. Nor does the directory /etc/php/7.4/apache2.

    I do see a php.ini file at /etc/php/7.4/cli/php.ini though. Should I edit that file instead?

    Reply
    1. Kathy Avatar
      Kathy

      Localhost displays my index file, but not PHP code within it.

      Reply
      1. Kathy Avatar
        Kathy

        Had to uninstall PHP, and re-install using ‘sudo apt-get install php’. Works perfectly now.

        Reply
  3. Jenny Avatar
    Jenny

    Where/how do you put your actual php and html files to use with this? Is there a folder on the main drive that contains the code? Is there a www or htdocs folder somewhere?

    Reply
  4. Mario Avatar
    Mario

    Why I must set “sudo” when connecting to mysql. Like sudo mysql -u root -p
    When I don’t sudo command, i get an error
    => ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can’t connect to local server through socket ‘/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock’ (13)

    Reply
  5. How to Install AMPPS Stack on Windows 11 - Geek Rewind

    […] There are other methods to install a complete web stack in Windows 11. Advanced users can use Windows Subsystem for Linux. […]

    Reply

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