Fix XAMPP Apache Not Starting on macOS | Quick & Easy Solutions | BlueTek

Introduction:

Encountering an issue where Apache starts from the command prompt but refuses to start from XAMPP on macOS? This situation can be puzzling, but there's a straightforward solution. This blog post will walk you through understanding the problem and solving it efficiently.

The Conflict: Sometimes, Apache might be running from the macOS command prompt or another terminal, causing a conflict preventing XAMPP from starting its Apache server.

Symptoms:

• XAMPP Apache won't start and shows no clear error.
• You've started Apache from the macOS terminal using a command like sudo apachectl start or sudo systemctl start apache.

Solution: To resolve this conflict and allow XAMPP to control Apache:

1. Stop Apache from Command Prompt:

   • Open Terminal.
   • Type sudo apachectl stop or sudo systemctl stop apache and press Enter.
   • This command stops the Apache server running from the command line.

2. Start Apache from XAMPP:

   • Open XAMPP Control Panel.
   • Click on the Start button next to Apache.
   • Now, XAMPP should be able to start Apache without any conflicts.

Why This Works: When you start Apache from the macOS terminal using apachectl or systemctl, it binds to the required ports (usually 80 and 443). XAMPP's Apache tries to bind to the same ports, causing a conflict. By stopping the command prompt's Apache, you free up these ports for XAMPP to use.

Preventive Steps:

• If you frequently use the macOS command prompt to manage services like Apache, consider using XAMPP's built-in control panel to manage Apache and MySQL to avoid conflicts.
• Ensure you're aware of services running on your system to prevent such conflicts in the future.

Conclusion: The conflict between command prompt Apache and XAMPP's Apache is a common issue, but understanding the root cause and taking the right steps can quickly resolve it. With this guide, you should be able to start XAMPP's Apache on macOS smoothly. Happy coding!