Laragon

ApplicationLeo Khoa

Also called laragon amp, laragon nginx

Leo KhoaProductivity

Portable Windows *AMP stack. The process is laragon.exe. It is not XAMPP.

What you need to know

Laragon is a portable *AMP stack. It is not XAMPP.

laragon.exe runs local Nginx/Apache, MySQL, and PHP. XAMPP is a different bundle. php.exe alone is not a stack.

What is it?: Local *AMP stack
Still current?: Yes, see Current status
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If a tutorial says XAMPP, I do not assume Laragon paths. laragon.exe is Leo Khoa's stack, not Apache Friends.

What is Laragon?

laragon.exe starts local Nginx or Apache, MySQL, and a PHP you pick. php.exe from windows.php.net is only the language. XAMPP is a different bundle.

If you have never used it

If you want Apache or Nginx plus MySQL and PHP on Windows without a long XAMPP dance, Laragon is a portable stack. Download it from laragon.org. XAMPP is Apache Friends' stack. This is not php.exe alone, and it is not a production host.

What is it used for?

Local PHP sites

Pretty URLs and auto virtual hosts Laragon documents. XAMPP uses htdocs instead.

MySQL or MariaDB for apps

The stack includes a server. HeidiSQL can then connect. This is still not XAMPP.

Swap PHP versions

Laragon lets you drop in another php.exe. The PHP article is the language binary without this stack.

Who is it for?

Windows PHP developers who dislike XAMPP
People who want a portable folder stack
Anyone who installed php.exe and wondered where Apache was

Current status

Laragon (2016) is a current local *amp stack from Leo Khoa. The vendor still points Windows users at https://laragon.org/download/.

How old is it?

Laragon appeared in 2016 as a faster Windows *AMP. XAMPP is the older classroom default. WAMP is another Windows stack. They are not the same folder layout.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Laragon Full

Laragon Portable

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
laragon.exe	Main Windows executable

Startup components

Laragon can start with Windows if you want local sites at sign-in. That is optional.

File locations

Common Laragon locations
Typical install	C:\laragon\

File formats

PHPSQL

Common problems

Followed XAMPP paths (xampp\htdocs)

Laragon uses its own www folder and pretty URLs. Wrong stack docs.

Port 80 or 3306 already taken

IIS, XAMPP, or another MySQL is running. Stop the other stack. Do not delete php.exe.

Getting unstuck

Install from laragon.org/download

Full versus portable. laragon.org/docs has first-run. Skip "Laragon Pro nulled" packs.

Start All from the Laragon menu, then open the pretty URL

That is Laragon's host file trick. XAMPP's localhost/project is a different habit.

Add another PHP build under Laragon's bin folder as the docs say

windows.php.net zips drop in. You still do not need XAMPP for that.

Alternatives

XAMPP is the Apache Friends stack. WAMP and Docker are other local hosts. Official php.exe is just the language.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	laragon.org/download/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	laragon.org/docs/ Vendor support
Official site	laragon.org/download/ Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

The stack is light. Composer and the app you run set RAM. This is a development toy, not a server SKU.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Laragon official site · Vendor product page
Laragon help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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