Step 4: Configure your installation

Having a local web server to use a fully integrated, virtualized AMP stack (Apache, MySQL, PHP) simulates the development, staging, and production servers you may need to deploy Drupal.

AMP Stack on a Local Machine

A developer's workflow begins with installing and configuring an AMP (Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack on a Windows, Mac, or Linux-based system. Depending on the operating system, there are many different methods available to create an ideal environment. However, when it comes to choosing, there are only three options:

1. Native AMP Stack: This option refers to systems that are typically either preconfigured to use Apache, MySQL, and PHP or have a straightforward installation path to download and configure these three requirements. There are many great guides on achieving this workflow, but it does require familiarity with the operating system.

2. Packaged AMP Stack: This option refers to third-party solutions such as:

• MAMP (https://www.mamp.info/en/),
• WAMP (http://www.wampserver.com/en/), or
• Acquia Dev Desktop (https://dev.acquia.com/downloads).

These solutions come with an installer that typically works on Windows and Mac and represents a standalone AMP stack, enabling common web server development. Of the three, only Acquia Dev Desktop is Drupal-specific.

3. Virtual Machine (VM): This option is often the best solution as it closely mirrors actual development, staging, and production web servers. However, it can also be the most complex to set up initially and requires some knowledge of how to configure specific parts of the AMP stack. There are several well-documented virtual machines that help minimize the required expertise.

Two excellent virtual machines are DrupalVM (https://www.drupalvm.com/) and Vagrant Drupal Development (VDD) (https://www.drupal.org/project/vdd).

In conclusion, I recommend choosing an environment that is flexible enough for quick installation, configuration, and setup of Drupal instances. All the above options are good for getting started.

If you're a solo developer, a packaged AMP stack such as MAMP for Mac, LAMP for Linux, or XAMPP (cross-platform) is a good choice. Using this software, you can test your web application on your local system. However, if you’re working in a team environment, I highly recommend one of the above-mentioned virtual machine options or consider creating your own VM environment to share with your team.

You can run more than one site from a single codebase. Check out Multisite Drupal if you want to do that.