The latest articles on DEV Community by Tarak Barjadiya (@the_ork). https://dev.to/the_ork https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4050583%2F839c11ea-9ad4-4ca5-adf3-da76d6c7b9db.gif https://dev.to/the_ork en Tarak Barjadiya Tue, 28 Jul 2026 05:46:43 +0000 https://dev.to/the_ork/flyenv-my-first-impressions-as-a-php-developer-11g4 https://dev.to/the_ork/flyenv-my-first-impressions-as-a-php-developer-11g4 <p>I've been looking for a simple local development environment for PHP that doesn't require me to manually install and configure Nginx, PHP, and MySQL every time I set up a new machine.</p> <p>I considered setting everything up from scratch and also looked at Docker. While both are great options, I wanted something that I could get running quickly for day-to-day development.</p> <p>That's how I came across <strong>FlyEnv</strong>.</p> <h2> Why I Tried FlyEnv </h2> <p>My typical workflow involves working on multiple PHP projects, often with different PHP versions. Some of the things I wanted were:</p> <ul> <li>Nginx support</li> <li>Multiple PHP versions</li> <li>MySQL</li> <li>Local domains (Virtual Hosts)</li> <li>A simple interface for managing projects</li> </ul> <p>FlyEnv appeared to provide all of these in one place.</p> <h2> Installation </h2> <p>The installation process was straightforward. After installing FlyEnv, I was able to start the required services and begin configuring my local environment without manually editing multiple configuration files.</p> <h2> Features That Interested Me </h2> <p>Some features that stood out include:</p> <ul> <li>Easy PHP version management</li> <li>Nginx integration</li> <li>MySQL support</li> <li>Local virtual hosts</li> <li>SSL support for local development</li> <li>Project management from a single interface</li> </ul> <p>These are features I regularly use when working on Laravel and CodeIgniter applications.</p> <h2> Licensing </h2> <p>FlyEnv offers a free version with some limitations, such as allowing up to three sites without a license.</p> <p>For a permanent license, the project allows users to:</p> <ul> <li>Donate</li> <li>Contribute code</li> <li>Promote the project by sharing genuine feedback</li> </ul> <p>I appreciate that they also accept open-source contributions and authentic reviews as ways to support development.</p> <h2> First Impressions </h2> <p>So far, FlyEnv looks like a practical solution for developers who want a lightweight local PHP environment without spending time configuring every component manually.</p> <p>I'm planning to use it for my upcoming PHP projects and compare it with my previous workflow over the next few weeks.</p> <h2> Final Thoughts </h2> <p>If you're looking for a local PHP development environment with built-in support for Nginx, PHP version management, MySQL, and virtual hosts, FlyEnv is worth checking out.</p> <p>As I continue using it, I'll update this article with longer-term experiences, including anything that works particularly well or any limitations I encounter.</p> php nginx mysql webdev