The key to configuring a PHP development environment is to select the right tool, pay attention to the matching of versions and extensions, and set up the virtual host correctly. Newbie recommends using XAMPP or Laragon one-click installation; experienced people can choose Docker or Vagrant; manual compilation is not recommended. Different projects need to pay attention to the differences in PHP versions, view the version and extensions through php -v and php -m, modify php.ini to enable modules, and confirm whether the configuration file path is loaded correctly. When configuring a virtual host, you must ensure that Apache's DocumentRoot points to the project directory correctly, check the ServerName and directory configuration in httpd-vhosts.conf, and pay attention to the system permission settings and whether the virtual host module is enabled for the main configuration file.

It is actually not too difficult to configure a PHP development environment, but it is easy for novices to get into pitfalls during the construction process. The most common problems include missing extensions, wrong path configuration, incompatible versions, etc. Just pay attention to a few key points to avoid most of the trouble.

Choose the right development tool combination

Many people are struggling to use XAMPP, WAMP or manually use Apache PHP MySQL at the beginning. In fact, for novices, XAMPP is the most convenient choice, with one-click installation and basic functions. If you already have experience and want to be more flexible in control, you can consider Docker or Vagrant to manage the environment.

• If it is only local development, it is recommended to use XAMPP or Laragon
• Docker is a good choice to simulate production environments
• It is not recommended to compile and install manually at the beginning, as it is prone to errors and wastes time

Pay attention to the matching issues between PHP version and extension

Different projects may have different PHP version requirements. For example, some old projects can only run in PHP 7.4, while new projects may already use PHP 8.2. If you only install one version at this time, compatibility issues are likely to occur. Moreover, many extensions (such as gd, opcache, exif) are not enabled by default, and you need to manually enable them in php.ini.

Common practices are:

• Use php -v to view the current version
• Use php -m to view loaded extensions
• Remember to remove the semicolon when modifying the php.ini file ; enable the module
• Multi-version switching can be supported by PHPBrew or Laragon

Sometimes you have installed an extension but cannot find it on the command line or web page. The probability is that you have corrected the location of the php.ini file. Remember to confirm which configuration file is loading, and you can view it through phpinfo() output.

Don't ignore permissions and path settings when configuring virtual hosts

When developing multiple projects locally, configuring virtual hosts (Virtual Host) is very convenient. However, novices often encounter problems such as accessing 403, page cannot be opened, and prompting insufficient permissions. This is usually because the directory permissions are not matched or Apache does not point to your project path correctly.

Solution:

• Make sure Apache's DocumentRoot points to the correct directory
• Configure ServerName and corresponding directory in httpd-vhosts.conf
• Under Windows, please pay attention to whether user permissions allow Apache to access project folders
• Mac or Linux users can use chmod to modify directory permissions

There is another small detail that is easily overlooked: whether Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf in Apache's main configuration file httpd.conf has been commented out, and if so, the virtual host configuration will not take effect.

Basically that's it. When you first start building an environment, you will always encounter various small problems. The key is to understand the role of each component and the connection between them. After getting familiar with it slowly, you will find that the entire process is not complicated, but some parts are easy to ignore.

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