Xampp Php 7.1.3

XAMPP bundles MariaDB, which acts like MySQL. Legacy code often uses mysql_* functions (removed after PHP 7.0). PHP 7.1.3 does NOT support mysql_connect() – you must use mysqli or PDO.

To fix old code quickly:

Better: Rewrite database layers properly.

After installing XAMPP with PHP 7.1.3/7.1.33, open php.ini (find it via XAMPP control panel → Apache → Config → PHP (php.ini)).

Fix these common pain points:

; Enable error reporting for debugging legacy code
error_reporting = E_ALL
display_errors = On

; Set correct timezone
date.timezone = "UTC"  ; or your local zone


; Increase limits (legacy scripts often need this)
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 64M
post_max_size = 68M
max_execution_time = 180

Restart Apache after changes.

Since PHP 7.1.3 is no longer patched, your local environment can become a vector for cross-contamination if you open it to a network.

For reference, a standard XAMPP installation running PHP 7.1.3 utilized the following architecture:

Common extensions enabled by default in this build included curl, gd2, mbstring, mysqli, openssl, and xml.

To mitigate risks, migration to a supported PHP version is required. The standard support path usually involves jumping to PHP 7.4 or directly to PHP 8.2/8.3. xampp php 7.1.3

Step-by-Step Migration Plan:

  • Dependency Update: Run composer update to fetch versions of libraries compatible with newer PHP versions.
  • Testing: Thoroughly test the application on the localhost before deployment.

    • Many older apps use mysql_* functions (deprecated in PHP 5.5 and removed in PHP 7.0). However, PHP 7.1.3 continues the removal—so you will need to refactor to mysqli or PDO.

    Workaround for pure legacy horror: You can use a compatibility wrapper like mysql_to_mysqli.php, but the correct fix is rewriting queries.

    PHP 7.1.3 is strict about timezones. Set in php.ini: XAMPP bundles MariaDB, which acts like MySQL

    date.timezone = "America/New_York"