LAMP technology can drive Web applications, and although it is powerful, is also comparatively simple and easy to use.
Individually, Linux, Apache Web server, MySQL database, Perl, Python or PHP are each a powerful component in its own right. The key to the idea behind LAMP, a term originally coined by Michael Kunze in the German magazine c't in 1998, is the use of these items together. Although not actually designed to work together, these open source software alternatives are readily and freely available. This has lead to them often being used together. In the past few years, their compatibility and use together has grown and been extended. Certain extensions have even been created specifically to improve the cooperation between different components.
Today, the products that make up the LAMP stack are included by default in nearly all Linux distributions, and together they make a powerful Web application platform.
Benefits:
Flexibility: There are no limits to what you can do with the LAMP stack, either technically or because of licensing restrictions. This allows you the flexibility to build and deploy applications in a method that suits you, not the supplier of the technology you are using.
Customization: Because LAMP components are open source, they have built up a huge array of additional components and modules that provide additional functionality. The open source approach enables you to do the same, customizing components and functionality to suit your needs.
Ease of Development: You can write powerful applications using LAMP technology in relatively few lines of code. Often the code is straightforward enough that even nonprogrammers can modify or extend the application.
Ease of Deployment: With neither licensing issues nor the need to compile applications, deployment is often as easy as copying an application to a new host. Most hosting services provide LAMP-based environments as standard, or they can be deployed using a Linux distribution, such as Fedora or Debian.
Security: With many eyes developing the software and years of use by a wide range of users and community groups, LAMP technology is secure and stable. Problems are normally fixed very quickly, and without the need for a costly support contract.
Community and Support: A wide and experienced group of people is willing to provide help and support during the development and deployment of LAMP-based applications.
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