This guide walks you through setting up a complete LAMP development environment on Arch Linux, from installing Apache, PHP, and MySQL all the way through to phpMyAdmin and Xdebug.

Install Apache, PHP, and MySQL

Install Apache

sudo pacman -S apache
sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl status httpd

Install PHP

sudo pacman -S php php-apache

Install MySQL (MariaDB)

sudo pacman -S mysql

When prompted, choose MariaDB. Then initialize and start the database:

sudo mysql_install_db --user=mysql --basedir=/usr --datadir=/var/lib/mysql
sudo systemctl start mysqld
sudo systemctl status mysqld

Next, secure your MySQL installation by setting a root password, removing anonymous users, removing the test database, and disabling remote root login. Press Enter for the current root password and answer “Yes” to all security questions:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Verify it’s working:

mysql -u root -p

Enable Apache and MySQL on Startup

sudo systemctl enable mysqld httpd

Configure Apache

Open the main Apache configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

At the very bottom of the file, add the following lines:

ServerName localhost
IncludeOptional conf/sites-enabled/*.conf
IncludeOptional conf/mods-enabled/*.conf

Create the directory structure for managing virtual hosts:

sudo mkdir /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available
sudo mkdir /etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled
sudo mkdir /etc/httpd/conf/mods-enabled

Create a2ensite and a2dissite Scripts

Arch doesn’t ship with Debian-style a2ensite / a2dissite commands, but we can create our own. These scripts make it easy to enable and disable virtual hosts with symlinks, just like you would on Debian or Ubuntu.

a2ensite

#!/bin/bash
if test -d /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available && test -d /etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled ; then
    echo "-------------------------------"
else
    mkdir /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available
    mkdir /etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled
fi

avail=/etc/httpd/conf/sites-available/$1.conf
enabled=/etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled
site=`ls /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available/`

if [ "$#" != "1" ]; then
    echo "Use script: a2ensite virtual_site"
    echo -e "\nAvailable virtual hosts:\n$site"
    exit 0
else
    if test -e $avail; then
        sudo ln -s $avail $enabled
    else
        echo -e "$avail virtual host does not exist! Please create one!\n$site"
        exit 0
    fi
    if test -e $enabled/$1.conf; then
        echo "Success!! Now restart Apache server: sudo systemctl restart httpd"
    else
        echo -e "Virtual host $avail does not exist!\nPlease see available virtual hosts:\n$site"
        exit 0
    fi
fi

a2dissite

#!/bin/bash
avail=/etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled/$1.conf
enabled=/etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled
site=`ls /etc/httpd/conf/sites-enabled`

if [ "$#" != "1" ]; then
    echo "Use script: a2dissite virtual_site"
    echo -e "\nAvailable virtual hosts:\n$site"
    exit 0
else
    if test -e $avail; then
        sudo rm $avail
    else
        echo -e "$avail virtual host does not exist! Exiting"
        exit 0
    fi
    if test -e $enabled/$1.conf; then
        echo "Error!! Could not remove $avail virtual host!"
    else
        echo -e "Success! $avail has been removed!\nsudo systemctl restart httpd"
        exit 0
    fi
fi

Give the scripts execute permission and copy them to your bin directory:

sudo chmod +x a2ensite a2dissite
sudo cp a2ensite a2dissite /usr/local/bin/

Create a Default Virtual Host

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available/localhost.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
    DocumentRoot "/srv/http"
    ServerName localhost
    ServerAdmin you@example.com
    ErrorLog "/var/log/httpd/localhost-error_log"
    TransferLog "/var/log/httpd/localhost-access_log"

    <Directory />
        Options +Indexes +FollowSymLinks +ExecCGI
        AllowOverride All
        Order deny,allow
        Allow from all
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Enable the virtual host (note: leave off the .conf extension):

cd /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available/
sudo a2ensite localhost
sudo systemctl restart httpd

Visit http://localhost to confirm it’s working.

Enable PHP on Apache

Open the Apache config:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Find and comment out the following line:

#LoadModule mpm_event_module modules/mod_mpm_event.so

Then create a new PHP module configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/mods-enabled/php.conf

Add the following content:

LoadModule mpm_prefork_module modules/mod_mpm_prefork.so
LoadModule php_module modules/libphp.so
Include conf/extra/php_module.conf

Create a test PHP file to verify everything works:

sudo nano /srv/http/info.php

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Restart Apache and visit http://localhost/info.php:

sudo systemctl restart httpd

You can also verify your Apache configuration and loaded modules with:

sudo apachectl configtest
sudo apachectl -M

Configure PHP Extensions

Install the PHP extensions you’ll need for development:

sudo pacman -S php-gd php-sqlite php-intl php-cgi

Open your PHP configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/php/php.ini

Find and uncomment the following extensions:

extension=gd.so
extension=mysqli.so
extension=iconv.so
extension=intl.so
extension=zip.so
extension=bz2.so
extension=bcmath.so
extension=pdo_mysql.so
extension=pdo_sqlite.so

Install Xdebug

sudo pacman -S xdebug

Edit /etc/php/conf.d/xdebug.ini and uncomment the following lines:

zend_extension=xdebug.so
xdebug.remote_enable=on
xdebug.remote_host=127.0.0.1
xdebug.remote_port=9000
xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp
xdebug.remote_autostart=on

Install Composer

sudo pacman -S composer

Install phpMyAdmin

sudo pacman -S phpmyadmin

Create a phpMyAdmin virtual host configuration:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf/sites-available/phpmyadmin.conf

Alias /phpmyadmin "/usr/share/webapps/phpMyAdmin"
<Directory "/usr/share/webapps/phpMyAdmin">
    DirectoryIndex index.php
    AllowOverride All
    Options FollowSymlinks
    Require all granted
</Directory>

Enable the virtual host and restart services:

sudo a2ensite phpmyadmin
sudo systemctl restart httpd
sudo systemctl restart mysqld

phpMyAdmin should now be accessible at http://localhost/phpmyadmin.

Configure phpMyAdmin

Add a blowfish secret passphrase (any random 32-character string) for cookie authentication:

sudo nano /etc/webapps/phpmyadmin/config.inc.php

$cfg['blowfish_secret'] = 'your-random-32-character-string-here';

Finally, create a temp directory for phpMyAdmin:

cd /usr/share/webapps/phpMyAdmin
sudo mkdir tmp
sudo chown http tmp

That covers the full LAMP stack setup on Arch. You now have Apache with virtual host management, PHP with debugging via Xdebug, MariaDB, and phpMyAdmin for database administration.

The post Setting Up a LAMP Development Environment on Arch Linux appeared first on Web Moves.

The problem is, brains aren’t much use if you can’t access them at the right moment.

Why Obsidian?

If you haven’t come across Obsidian yet, it’s a note-taking app that stores everything as plain Markdown files on your local machine. No cloud lock-in, no proprietary format, no subscription for the core product. If Obsidian disappeared tomorrow, you’d still have every note in a format any text editor can open.

What makes it stick for me is the linking. You can connect notes together, build out a personal wiki, and over time your vault turns into this web of interconnected documentation rather than a pile of disconnected files. I use it for server documentation, project notes, client details, random ideas at 2am… all of it goes into the vault.

The Workflow Problem I Kept Running Into

I’ve been using Claude (Anthropic’s AI assistant) heavily for development work. Writing scripts, debugging server issues, researching solutions, brainstorming approaches. Pretty standard stuff if you’ve been following along with how AI tools are fitting into dev workflows.

But I kept hitting the same friction point. I’d be deep in a conversation with Claude, working through a server migration or troubleshooting a plugin conflict, and I’d need to reference something from my notes. The LAMP stack setup script I wrote last month. The specific nginx config I used for a client’s reverse proxy. The notes I took when I last dealt with that exact WooCommerce shipping issue.

Every time, it was the same routine: switch to Obsidian, hunt for the note, copy the relevant chunk, paste it into Claude, and pick up where I left off. Do that five or six times a day and it starts to feel like a real bottleneck. I had all this documentation organized and linked together in my second brain, but my AI assistant couldn’t see any of it.

The Fix: MCP (Model Context Protocol)

Anthropic released something called the Model Context Protocol, or MCP. In simple terms, it’s a standard that lets Claude connect to external tools and data sources. Someone built an MCP server specifically for Obsidian, and after some trial and error, I got it working with Claude Desktop.

Now Claude can search my vault, read my notes, and even write new ones directly. For my day-to-day work at Web Moves, this has been a genuine productivity shift. When I’m setting up a new client server, Claude can pull up my standard deployment checklist without me lifting a finger. When I’m debugging something I’ve seen before, it can search my notes for how I solved it last time. It’s like having a colleague who has actually read all your documentation, because it has.

What You’ll Need

Before we get into the setup:

• Obsidian installed with a vault you want to connect
• Claude Desktop (the desktop app, not the web version)
• uv – a fast Python package manager (think pip but better)
• Git – for cloning the MCP server repo

I’m running this on Linux (Arch, specifically), but the process should be similar on Mac or Windows with some path adjustments.

Step 1: Install the Obsidian Local REST API Plugin

The way this works is Obsidian exposes your vault through a local REST API, and then the MCP server connects to that API to read and write notes.

Open Obsidian, go to Settings > Community Plugins, and search for “Local REST API.” Install it and enable it. In the plugin settings, configure an API key. Make note of the key and the HTTPS port (defaults to 27124). You’ll need both later.

Step 2: Clone the MCP Server

There’s a Python-based MCP server called mcp-obsidian that handles the connection. Clone it somewhere on your machine:

git clone https://github.com/MarkusPfundstein/mcp-obsidian.git
cd mcp-obsidian

Step 3: Create the Environment File

This is where I burned more time than I’d like to admit. The MCP server needs your API key and connection details, and the most reliable way to provide them is through a .env file in the cloned repo directory:

cat > .env << 'EOF'
OBSIDIAN_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
OBSIDIAN_HOST=127.0.0.1
OBSIDIAN_PORT=27124
EOF

Replace your_api_key_here with the API key from the Obsidian plugin. Make sure you're using port 27124, which is the HTTPS endpoint. I initially tried the HTTP port and things did not go well.

Step 4: Configure Claude Desktop

Now you need to tell Claude Desktop about the MCP server. On Linux, edit ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-obsidian": {
      "command": "/usr/bin/uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory", "/path/to/mcp-obsidian",
        "run", "mcp-obsidian"
      ],
      "autoApprove": [
        "obsidian_list_files_in_vault",
        "obsidian_list_files_in_dir",
        "obsidian_get_file_contents",
        "obsidian_simple_search",
        "obsidian_complex_search",
        "obsidian_patch_content",
        "obsidian_append_content",
        "obsidian_put_content",
        "obsidian_delete_file",
        "obsidian_batch_get_file_contents",
        "obsidian_get_periodic_note",
        "obsidian_get_recent_periodic_notes",
        "obsidian_get_recent_changes"
      ]
    }
  }
}

A few gotchas that cost me time:

Use the full path to uv. If you're running the Linux AppImage version of Claude Desktop, it can't find executables on your PATH. Spell out the full path, like /usr/bin/uv. Run which uv if you're not sure where it lives.

The --directory flag matters. This tells uv where to find the cloned repo and your .env file. Without it, the server won't know where to look for your config.

Tool names need the obsidian_ prefix. This one got me. In the autoApprove list, every tool name must include the obsidian_ prefix. So it's obsidian_append_content, not append_content. Get this wrong and Claude will prompt you for approval every single time it touches a note. Ask me how I know.

Step 5: Restart and Verify

Completely quit Claude Desktop (not just close the window, actually quit it) and relaunch. You should see a hammer/tools icon indicating MCP servers are connected. If you don't, check the logs:

tail -f ~/.config/Claude/logs/mcp*.log

How This Fits Into My Workflow

Once everything's connected, Claude can search your vault, read any note, create new notes, list files and folders, and access your daily notes and recently modified files.

For my work at Web Moves, here's where this really pays off:

Client server documentation. I keep detailed notes on every client's hosting setup. OS versions, installed packages, database configs, SSL cert details. When I'm SSH'd into a server and need to recall a specific config choice I made three months ago, Claude pulls it up instantly from my vault.

Reusable solutions. Web development is full of problems you solve once and encounter again eight months later. That tricky htaccess redirect pattern, the specific WooCommerce hook for modifying shipping calculations, the exact steps to migrate a WordPress database between environments. It's all in my notes, and now Claude can find it without me remembering which note it's in.

Project handoffs and context switching. When you manage multiple client sites, context switching is the real productivity killer. Being able to say "pull up my notes on the Locks & Hardware project" and have Claude immediately up to speed on where things stand has cut down on the mental overhead of jumping between projects.

Building on past work. Sometimes I'll ask Claude to help me write a new deployment script, and it can reference the notes I took on previous deployments to avoid repeating mistakes. My second brain feeds into the AI's context, and the result is better than either one alone.

Troubleshooting

If things aren't working, here's what bit me:

• Server not connecting? Make sure Obsidian is actually running with the Local REST API plugin enabled. The API only works when Obsidian is open.
• Wrong port? Use 27124 (HTTPS), not 27123 (HTTP). The MCP server defaults to HTTPS.
• Environment variables not loading? The .env file needs to be in the exact directory you specified in --directory. Not your home directory, not some other location.
• autoApprove not working? Double-check those tool name prefixes. Every single one needs obsidian_ at the beginning.

Worth the Setup?

The initial configuration takes a little patience, especially if you hit the same gotchas I did. But once it's running, it's one of those improvements that compounds over time. The more notes you have in your vault, the more useful the connection becomes. Your AI assistant gets better because it has access to your accumulated knowledge. Your second brain stops being a passive archive and starts actively working for you.

If you're a developer or sysadmin who already keeps notes in Obsidian, this is worth an afternoon of setup. And if you run into trouble getting it working, feel free to reach out. I've probably hit the same wall.

The post Teaching AI to Read My Second Brain: Connecting Obsidian to Claude appeared first on Web Moves.

Originally, this deadline kept getting pushed further down the calendar. Now, they’ve simply stopped updating it—leaving businesses stuck, unable to verify their listings, and the message outdated by over a week.

Seriously, Microsoft—you’re a $3.5 trillion company, yet you can’t manage to fix a basic function that allows local businesses to appear on your map? Instead, you’re too busy pushing AI into every product while neglecting essential services. Maybe focus on making Bing Places actually work before expanding into the next big thing. This is beyond ridiculous.

The post Verification for Bing Places for Business, Broken for MONTHS appeared first on Web Moves.

Google Local Services Ads (LSA) which could revolutionize businesses by providing a platform, for expansion and visibility enhancement has its share of challenges that seem unbelievable for a company valued at $ 2 trillion.

An unsettling encounter, for newcomers.

For beginners, in LSA (Local Sensory Augmentation) setting up your account might feel like a challenge at times! Creating an account could turn into a bit of a headache as you find yourself repeatedly filling out forms only to see them reset when you thought you were done with the data entry marathon! I’ve faced this issue myself on occasions while using web browsers. After struggling through tries with popular browsers like Chrome and Firefox I eventually found success, with the Brave browser.

Struggles, with Keeping Budgets Updated

Despite managing to tackle the obstacles the problems didn’t end there; it was a real challenge to update the budget section, on the LSA platform—it seemed almost impossible! No matter which browser I tried—whether Brave or others—the system kept spinning without making any updates; this persisted as an issue. Made the platform nearly unusable.

Seeking Betterment

It’s surprising that a company big and capable as Google would launch a product, with basic issues like this one here in Google Local Services Ads program – it holds great promise, for small businesses but seems pretty shaky in its current form.

Google must tackle these problems away because a product, with potential shouldn’t be held back by technical issues that make it barely usable. If Google can fix these glitches and make LSA more reliable it could really become an asset, for businesses.. For now users are stuck dealing with a service that doesn’t meet their expectations.

The post Google Local Service Ads-Unstable Software-Unable to sign up or Update Budget appeared first on Web Moves.

We oversee the reputations of clients, at Web Moves and have a track record of effectively spotting and addressing untrue or deceptive reviews by reporting them diligently. A year back we encountered a company named Get Dandy that positioned itself as an expert, in eliminating reviews.Their sales presentation was impressive as they guaranteed outcomes. They showcased a software program created to uncover weaknesses in the terms and conditions of platforms such, as Google, Yelp and Facebook to support the deletion of negative reviews.

After the first meeting concluded I left feeling greatly impressed. Being someone experienced in creating tailor made software solutions I could see their system was solid and expertly crafted. Additionally they shared stories of achievements, with customers highlighting reductions in negative feedback. It left me feeling hopeful.

The Truth About Using Get Dandy’s Service.

The initial setup process went well. The software performed as anticipated at glance.It sifted through the feedback. Filed removal requests, in accordance, with platform regulations.During the 90 day period everything appeared to be heading in a direction.We were pleased to note that around 15 reviews were successfully removed despite the pace of progress.

After that? Nothing happened for months without any more reviews being taken down. Even though there were discussions and assurances that “the system is functioning ” no advancements were seen. The customer service provided consultations that appeared hopeful, at glance but turned out to be just a roundabout way of handling things.

We began with an account containing 500 negative reviews. In the presentation they projected that, they estimated 50% or more of these would be removed. After 12 months, 500 negative reviews later, and $3,600 spent, the total number of reviews removed was…14. That’s a mere fraction of what was promised.

Over the four months I’ve been trying to find a solution. Requesting chargebacks and contacting the CEO via LinkedIn.. All I’ve gotten in return are threats of legal action, from them. Despite their software and impressive sales pitches Get Dandy has turned out to be nothing than a huge disappointment, in terms of both time and money spent.

My advice is to steer clear of the stuff.

The technical prowess displayed in the software created Get Dandy is truly remarkable and serves as a sales asset; however despite the facade their actual service falls short of expectations.. The commitments made around reducing reviews often remain unmet leaving customers feeling unsatisfied.. Furthermore once a customer is committed, to their services the responsiveness of their customer support team diminishes substantially..

If you’re thinking about using Get Dandy services be cautious because even though they present themselves well the outcomes are not, up to par as expected Their current service offering is lacking and the fact that their CEO has been quiet, on LinkedIn says a lot. A word for the CEO of Get Dandy, Alex Belinni, if you had replied to my Linked In Message, this post never would of happened.

The post Does the GetDandy Review Removal Service Work? appeared first on Web Moves.

10 days ago is when things kicked off for us. We spotted something, in a Florida account with a batch of leads that raised our eyebrows. These three leads all went by the name “Brayan Wood”. Popped up within five minutes from totally different areas of coverage. Clearly something wasn’t right about it all we flagged them as fake. Promptly got in touch with Angi’s support team to report the situation and luckily received credit for the questionable leads. Initially brushing it off as either a lone scammer at work 0r someone trying to pull a fast, on us with the system.

The situation became more concerning yesterday when we noticed a pattern, in a Michigan based account well. Three leads were received from “Brayan Wood,” each from service areas in succession. The resemblances, between the two situations were too noticeable to overlook indicating that this was not a coincidence but a planned effort to deceive Angi users.

Seeing the perspective.

Upon inspection three counterfeit leads may not appear significant; however when you take into account that each lead carries a price tag of $40 the expenses begin to accumulate quickly. In this scenario three fake leads translate to a loss of $120. If this fraudulent activity is happening across accounts. Even hundreds or thousands. The financial consequences become quite significant.

It is alarming to see activities happening on Angi Leads despite its resources and prominent position, in the lead generation sector.

Who could be responsible, for this?

The big question here is who is pulling the strings behind all of this? It’s not crystal clear, at the moment. One thing we can say for sure is that this isn’t just a problem popping up out of nowhere. Seeing this same pattern play out in two situations across different states makes it seem like theres a bigger plan, at work here. Like someone or some group is purposefully taking advantage of the system.

The name “Brayan Wood” may not hold significance independently; however if various companies are encountering this name in leads consistently it could help us pinpoint the source of this scam more accurately.

Why is this important, in the scheme of things?

For individuals who depend on lead generation platforms such, as Angi’s Leads for their businesses growth and sustainability the importance of receiving genuine and high quality leads cannot be overstated. Wasting money and valuable time pursuing leads is detrimental to a company’s bottom line and productivity. When fraudulent activities permeate Angi’s platform it not only erodes user trust but also raises concerns, about the integrity of their validation procedures.

What We’re Inquiring About

Has anyone else using Angi Leads encountered a situation, like this before? Have you received leads from “Brayan Wood”. Observed any trends in your accounts recently? This might be happening in industries or locations with types of services involved. If you have experienced something to this scenario mentioned above. Wish to share your insights or thoughts on it with us. Feel free to reach out! We’re keen to hear from you and learn more, about your experiences.

Our aim is to gather details in order to shed light on this matter and advocate for security and measures to prevent fraud, by Angies List representatives.

Wrapping Up Ideas

Scams have always been a presence, in the lead generation realm; however it is disconcerting to witness them infiltrate a platform like Angi. A company with substantial resources and revenue streams that should theoretically be more secure, against calculated fraud schemes. It’s crucial for us to delve further into this matter and urge businesses to remain watchful and alert.

If you’ve observed any resemblances or commonalities, in your experiences recently and wish to discuss about it with me; I’m here to collaborate with you on holding platforms responsible and verifying the value of leads we invest in.

You can email me at john@webmoves.net with any information you may have.

Thanks

The post Disturbing Trend of Deceptive Leads, on Angi Leads Platform. An In Depth Examination of “Brayan Wood” appeared first on Web Moves.

Here’s how it works: You receive an email request for ownership of your GMB page. The email may seem legitimate at first glance, but it’s a scheme. Once you accept the request, these unscrupulous actors can gain control of your business listing, which allows them to manipulate your business’s public-facing information, leading to a plethora of potential issues including misinformation, fraudulent reviews, or worse.

These emails can be cunningly crafted and persuasive. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial to be vigilant when dealing with ownership requests. An unexpected request should always raise a red flag.

Teamwork is the key to combating this threat. Good communication across all departments – be it management, IT, marketing, or staff – is vital. Make sure everyone is aware of this issue, and that they know what to do if they receive such a request.

Here are a few steps to prevent falling into this trap:

-Be skeptical of unsolicited ownership requests. Only grant ownership to trusted individuals who need it.

-Implement a protocol for dealing with GMB ownership requests.

-Regularly check the users list in your GMB dashboard to make sure all owners and managers are legitimate.

-In case of doubt, don’t hesitate to contact Google’s support team.

Security of your online assets should be a top priority. Please share this message to ensure we minimize the impact of these potential attacks.

The post Heads Up: Potential Threat to Your Google My Business Profile Pages-Phishing Emails for Ownership appeared first on Web Moves.

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