How to Install IconCaptcha on Windows 10

IconCaptcha is a security solution designed to protect your website from spam and abuse. It does this by replacing traditional CAPTCHA forms with a set of icons that users need to identify.

This tutorial will walk you through the steps necessary to install IconCaptcha on Windows 10.

Prerequisites

Before we start, ensure that you have the following items:

  • A web server such as Apache or Nginx.
  • PHP version 5.6 or higher installed and configured.
  • A text editor.
  • A web browser.

Step 1: Download IconCaptcha

Visit the official IconCaptcha website at https://www.fabianwennink.nl/projects/IconCaptcha/ and download the latest version of IconCaptcha.

Step 2: Extract the Files

Extract the contents of the downloaded zip file to the web server root directory. If you’re using XAMPP, the root directory is located in C:\xampp\htdocs.

Step 3: Configure the Settings

Open the config.php file located in the IconCaptcha folder using your text editor. Modify the settings according to your website's requirements. Here's an example configuration:

$config = [
    'public_key' => 'your_public_key',
    'private_key' => 'your_private_key',
    'icon_path' => 'icons/',
    'db_file' => 'captcha.db',
    'valid_seconds' => 60,
];

Ensure that you replace the your_public_key and your_private_key fields with your own.

Step 4: Include the Library

Open your website’s PHP file where you want to include the IconCaptcha library. Add the following code:

<?php
require_once 'IconCaptcha/IconCaptcha.php';
?>

Step 5: Display IconCaptcha

To use IconCaptcha, add the following code within a form on your website:

<form method="post">
    <?php $captcha = new IconCaptcha(); ?>
    <p><?php $captcha->html(); ?></p>
    <input type="text" name="<?php echo $captcha->getInputName(); ?>" />
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

This code will create an instance of the IconCaptcha class and display the IconCaptcha on your website.

Conclusion

IconCaptcha is an effective way to protect your website from spam and abuse. By following these steps, you can easily install and configure IconCaptcha on your Windows 10 web server.