Comparison of WAMPs
For a comparison of different WAMP packages, see compare of WAMPs.
WAMPs are packages of independently-created programs installed on computers that use a Microsoft Windows operating system. The interaction of these programs enables dynamic web pages to be served over a computer network, such as the internet or a private network.
"WAMP" is an acronym formed from the initials of the operating system (Windows) and the package's principal components: Apache, MySQL and PHP (or Perl or Python).
Apache is a web server, which allows people with web browsers like Internet Explorer or Firefox to connect to a computer and see information there as web pages.
MySQL is a database manager (that is, it keeps track of data in a highly organized way).
PHP is a scripting language which can manipulate information held in a database and generate web pages afresh each time an element of content is requested from a browser.
Other programs may also be included in a package, such as phpMyAdmin which provides a graphical interface for the MySQL database manager, or the alternative scripting languages Python or Perl..