Test and Deploy Web Applications with BitNami Web Application Stacks

I don't know how I missed this. In the past, I researched various ways to set up a personal web server, primarily for designing and testing web applications. BitNami web application stacks have been available since before I wrote about it in 2009. I almost feel ashamed that I missed them because my researching skills are now suspect.

As a normal, everyday computer user, you may feel absolutely no need or desire to fool around with web applications. In fact, you may use your computer solely for "work" applications which deal with documents, spreadsheets and presentations and the Internet itself may just be a pastime, where you hang out on Facebook and play games, chat with friends or even build a business. It's only when you investigate what web applications can do that you may feel the need to learn more about them.

Fears in Web Publishing

In my experience, the reason there aren't even more people than right now publishing content on the web is because people fear making fools out of themselves. What these people don't realize is what the term "web publishing" means. There are various degrees of web publishing, from full-fledged articles on specific websites to posting a comment on a forum. Yes, anytime you post anything on the web, you are publishing on the web.

By setting up, testing and using web applications on your own PC, you can see for yourself how the applications work because they work on your PC almost exactly how they work on the web. Understanding is the first step in alleviating any fears you may have in getting "out there" and getting involved in more ways than just "hanging out".

The BitNami Web Application Stacks

If you're not familiar with a web application, it doesn't make sense to set it up and then just try to wing it until you actually are familiar with it. The BitNami web application stacks cover most of the web applications you'd be interested in, including the latest version of WordPress with a WordPress Stack.

I had to set up an "ancient" WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack on my PC in order to test WordPress before starting to use it back in 2006. It wasn't an easy feat considering I only had a dial-up connection at the time. I had to pick and choose what I downloaded carefully because of how much time it took.

The BitNami web application stacks don't just run on Windows. They have versions that run on Linux and other operating systems as well as Windows. They also incorporate database applications other than MySQL. As far as Windows is concerned, they advertise that their packages run on everything from Windows 2000 to Windows Vista. I'm sure they run on Windows 7 as well with specific permissions, but it's not mentioned on the website.

As far as WordPress goes… if you're into developing themes or plugins, it makes a lot more sense to develop and test them on your own PC before testing them live on the web. The BitNami stacks make it easy for you to test them using multiple scenarios so that you can find out what, if anything, is going to break and why.

If you're using a web application live on the web already, you really have no excuse for not knowing the ins and outs of that application. If working with it online is hard to do (due to your connection or other factors) and learning more about it is a royal pain, a local web application is the way to go. Yes, I have a specific person in mind as I'm writing this and I'm sure that person will be responding in one way or another.

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