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Bearsampp lets you install multiple versions of the same module side by side and switch between them in seconds — no reinstalling, no manual config editing. You can have PHP 8.1 and PHP 8.3 both on disk and flip between them whenever your project needs it.

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Supported modules

Version switching is available for all binary modules:

Apache

Switch the web server version. Bearsampp stops Apache, updates config files, and restarts.

PHP

Switch PHP version. Apache restarts automatically since PHP runs as an Apache module.

MySQL

Switch the MySQL version and restart the MySQL service.

MariaDB

Switch the MariaDB version and restart the MariaDB service.

PostgreSQL

Switch the PostgreSQL version and restart the PostgreSQL service.

Node.js

Switch the active Node.js runtime. No service restart needed.

Memcached

Switch the Memcached version and restart the Memcached service.

Mailpit

Switch the Mailpit version and restart the Mailpit service.

Xlight

Switch the Xlight FTP server version and restart the service.

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How to switch versions

1

Open the tray menu

Right-click the Bearsampp icon in the Windows system tray.
2

Select the module

Hover over the module you want to change, for example PHP.
3

Open the Versions submenu

Click Versions in the module submenu. All installed versions appear as a list.
4

Select the new version

Click the version you want. Bearsampp shows a progress window while it:
  • Stops the affected service
  • Updates all configuration files to point to the new version
  • Reloads the internal configuration
  • Restarts the service with the new version
A confirmation dialog appears when the switch is complete.

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Apache and PHP version compatibility

Apache and PHP must be compatible for your stack to work. Bearsampp checks this automatically when you switch either module and warns you if they don’t match:
  • When switching Apache: “Apache X does not seem to be compatible with PHP Y.”
  • When switching PHP: “PHP X does not seem to be compatible with Apache Y.”
If you see either warning, switch the other module to a compatible version before using your local site.
Switching PHP also restarts Apache, because PHP runs as an Apache module. Both version changes happen in a single operation.

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Verify the active versions

After switching, open http://localhost in your browser. The Bearsampp homepage dashboard shows the currently active version of every enabled module and whether each service is running.
To download additional versions, visit bearsampp.com/module. Place the downloaded module archive in the correct subfolder and it will appear in the Versions submenu the next time you open the tray menu.