Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Apache HTTP Server VS Local by Flywheel

Compare Apache HTTP Server VS Local by Flywheel and see what are their differences

Apache HTTP Server logo Apache HTTP Server

Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996

Local by Flywheel logo Local by Flywheel

Provides a simple, local development environment with a friendly GUI.
  • Apache HTTP Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-21
  • Local by Flywheel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17

Apache HTTP Server features and specs

  • Open Source
    Apache HTTP Server is open source, meaning it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. This promotes a large, active community that contributes to its maintenance and improvement.
  • Cross-Platform
    Apache is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Unix, Linux, and Windows, providing flexibility and widespread usability.
  • Highly Customizable
    It offers a modular architecture that allows users to enable or disable features as needed, and to extend functionality through modules.
  • Robust Documentation
    Apache provides comprehensive and detailed documentation, which makes it easier for users to install, configure, and troubleshoot the server.
  • Widespread Adoption
    With its long history and widespread use, Apache has proven to be reliable and trusted by many organizations worldwide, ensuring a level of trust and stability.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Apache includes many features out-of-the-box, such as SSL/TLS support, URL redirection, authentication, load balancing, and more.

Possible disadvantages of Apache HTTP Server

  • Performance Overhead
    Compared to some lightweight web servers like Nginx, Apache can have higher memory and CPU usage, which may not be ideal for high concurrency needs.
  • Complex Configuration
    Apache's extensive customization options can lead to a complex configuration process, which may be challenging for beginners or those without specific expertise.
  • Less Efficient in Serving Static Content
    While Apache is highly capable, it may be less efficient at serving static content compared to specialized web servers like Nginx.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Due to its rich features and configurability, new users might face a steep learning curve when first setting up and using Apache HTTP Server.
  • Module Compatibility Issues
    Sometimes, third-party modules may not always be compatible with the latest versions of Apache, causing potential integration issues.

Local by Flywheel features and specs

  • Easy setup
    Local by Flywheel offers a simple and user-friendly interface, making it easy to download, set up, and configure WordPress sites locally.
  • Pre-configured environments
    It provides pre-configured server environments which can save time on configurations and ensure consistency across projects.
  • One-click WordPress installation
    Local by Flywheel allows for quick WordPress installations with a single click, streamlining the development process.
  • SSL support
    It supports SSL certificates out of the box, making it easier to work with HTTPS locally.
  • Live Link
    The Live Link feature enables developers to share their local sites with others via a temporary, publicly accessible URL.
  • Database management
    It includes built-in database management tools like Adminer and phpMyAdmin, simplifying the handling of databases.
  • Integration with WP-CLI
    Local by Flywheel supports WP-CLI, allowing developers to run WordPress commands directly from the terminal.
  • Automatic backups
    It enables automatic site backups, providing a safety net in case something goes wrong during development.
  • Developer tools
    Includes various developer tools and add-ons such as Xdebug to aid with debugging and performance optimization.

Possible disadvantages of Local by Flywheel

  • Resource Intensive
    Local by Flywheel can be heavy on system resources, especially on older or less powerful machines.
  • Windows-specific Issues
    Some users have reported occasional glitches and performance issues when using it on Windows OS.
  • Dependency on Virtualization
    Local relies on virtual environments which can sometimes cause conflicts or issues with other software.
  • Limited to WordPress
    The tool is specifically tailored for WordPress development, which may not be suitable for developers working on other CMS or projects.
  • Complex Advanced Features
    While great for beginners, some advanced features and customizations may be complex for novice users to implement.
  • Internet Required for Some Features
    Features like Live Link require an active internet connection, which may not always be available.

Analysis of Apache HTTP Server

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Apache HTTP Server is generally considered a good and reliable web server.

Why this product is good

  • Apache HTTP Server is one of the most widely used and established web servers in the world. It is open-source, highly configurable, and supports a wide range of features through modules. Its robustness, extensive documentation, strong community support, and flexibility are some of the reasons it remains popular.

Recommended for

  • Developers and organizations looking for a reliable and versatile web server solution.
  • Those who need extensive customization and configuration options for their web environment.
  • Users who prefer an established platform with a large community and extensive documentation.
  • Teams that require compatibility with various operating systems and environments.

Analysis of Local by Flywheel

Overall verdict

  • Local by Flywheel is generally well-regarded in the WordPress community, particularly for its simplicity and efficiency in setting up local environments. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, it offers valuable tools that can enhance your workflow. However, users might run into performance issues depending on their system configurations.

Why this product is good

  • Local by Flywheel is considered good due to its user-friendly interface, robust feature set targeted at WordPress developers, and seamless integration with various WordPress tools. It allows developers to create a local development environment quickly, test plugins and themes, and make modifications before deploying to a live server, thus streamlining the development workflow.

Recommended for

  • WordPress developers
  • Web designers who frequently test themes and plugins
  • Agencies managing multiple WordPress sites
  • Freelancers looking for an easy way to set up local environments
  • Beginners wanting to learn WordPress development in a controlled environment

Apache HTTP Server videos

No Apache HTTP Server videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Local by Flywheel videos

Local By Flywheel WordPress Setup + Cool Features Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Local By Flywheel for WordPress Development - Review & Tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache HTTP Server and Local by Flywheel)
Web And Application Servers
Web Servers
84 84%
16% 16
CMS
0 0%
100% 100
Application Server
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Apache HTTP Server and Local by Flywheel. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache HTTP Server and Local by Flywheel

Apache HTTP Server Reviews

9 Best XAMPP Alternatives Cross Platform Web Server
However, compared to XAMPP and other popular web servers in the market Apache HTTP Server is a bit more complicated and is a little difficult to navigate for a complete newbie, but if you want to understand web development from the very fundamentals and understand how Apache as a web server software works then this software can be of great help to you.
Litespeed vs Nginx vs Apache: Web Server Showdown
The most commonly used Web Server is by far Apache HTTP Server from the Software Apache Foundation. Created in 1995 by Rob McCool and Brian Behlendorf, among others. The name is a pun for A PatCHy server, as at the time of it’s inception, Apache was based on some existing code, along with some perhaps “hacky or clunky” software packages, enabling it to run. Additionally, the...
Source: chemicloud.com
10 Best alternatives of XAMPP servers for Windows, Linux and macOS
Apache is an open-source and free web server software that owns about 46% of websites worldwide. The official name is Apache HTTP Server and is maintained and developed by the Apache Software Foundation. This allows website owners to serve content on the web – hence the name “webserver”.
Top 5 open source web servers
As the Apache HTTP Server has been the most popular web server since 1996, it "benefits from great documentation and integrated support from other software projects." You can find more information on the Apache Foundation project page.
Source: opensource.com

Local by Flywheel Reviews

Best XAMPP Alternatives for Website Development in 2024
LocalWP, powered by Flywheel, is another offline XAMPP alternative for developing WordPress sites. With LocalWP, users can choose between Apache and NGINX server environments, allowing for comprehensive testing to ensure compatibility.
Source: instawp.com
12 XAMPP Alternatives – Install WordPress On Windows And macOS Laptop
One-click WordPress Installation – Local by Flywheel makes creating a local WordPress site a light breeze, so you don’t have to bother with setting it up yourself!

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Local by Flywheel should be more popular than Apache HTTP Server. It has been mentiond 231 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache HTTP Server mentions (70)

View more

Local by Flywheel mentions (231)

  • How to Create a Custom WordPress Plugin From Scratch: A Developer's Guide
    Local WordPress Installation: Use tools like Local by Flywheel, XAMPP, or MAMP. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Struggling to Manage Multiple PHP Versions and Frameworks? Here's the Perfect Solution!
    Visit https://localwp.com to download Local. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • WP Engine is not WordPress
    It’s probably worth mentioning that WP Engine author the _Local_ app https://localwp.com/ which is far and away the best tool to build WP sites errr on your local machine. Then just upload to WP Engine and your are live. This valuable innovation is fueling the growth of WP Engine and makes this a bit of a honey trap. Personally I’m not convinced that keeping a 100% audit trail for reconstruction of old states is... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • WordPress next, and beyond: breaking the technical enclosure
    Yeah -- though I think VVV has been thoroughly supplanted by Local: https://localwp.com Which almost every serious WP developer I know uses. (I personally use my own simplified Vagrant package management scripts with some ssh_config integration hooks because I work on more than WP and value standardisation across VM environments more than I value the features Local adds). - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Introducing WP Setup
    Developing WordPress plugins and themes often requires a reliable development environment. Current we have good solutions as wp-env from Autommatic, Local WP from WP Engine, Docker, XAMPP (for old ones) and so on. All this can be good suits for a development environment, specially Local WP that is probably the easiest one to get up and running and wp-env that leverages Docker as a development environment in a very... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache HTTP Server and Local by Flywheel, you can also consider the following products

Microsoft IIS - Internet Information Services is a web server for Microsoft Windows

Laragon - All in one web server.

Apache Tomcat - An open source software implementation of the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies

WordPress.com - Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

LiteSpeed Web Server - LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is a high-performance Apache drop-in replacement.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.