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Installation

Introduction​

Serapha is a lightweight, modular PHP framework designed to simplify web application development with a focus on simplicity and performance. It leverages modern PHP practices and powerful libraries such as carry0987/template-engine and carry0987/sanite to ensure an efficient development process.

System Requirements​

Before starting the installation, make sure your system meets the following requirements:

  • PHP 8.1 or higher
  • Composer
  • Supported development environment such as Apache, Nginx, or the built-in PHP server
  • (Optional) Node.js and pnpm (for building front-end assets)

Installation Steps​

Step 1: Clone the Repository​

First, clone the Serapha GitHub repository using Git:

git clone https://github.com/SeraphaLab/Serapha.git
cd serapha

Step 2: Install Dependencies​

Next, install the required dependencies using Composer:

composer install

Step 3: Set Up Environment Variables​

Copy the .env.example file and rename it to .env. Then, customize it according to your requirements:

cp .env.example .env

Configure the database connection and other essential settings in the .env file.

Step 4: Configure Folder Permissions​

Ensure that the storage directory have the correct write permissions so that the framework can properly store logs and cache.

Step 5: Installation via Web UI (Optional)​

You can use the install directory for a web-based installation UI. This requires some manual customization:

  1. Customize Server-side Logic: In install/include/class/Installer.php, like the startCreateAdmin method or others, add your business logic, such as creating an administrator account. This approach prevents sensitive data, like passwords, from being hardcoded in seed files.

  2. Customize and Build Front-end Logic: If modifications are made to install/template/dist/ts/install.ts, rebuild the assets by navigating to the install/template directory and running:

pnpm build

  1. Access the Installation Page: Start your PHP server (see the Quick Start section for instructions) and navigate to http://localhost:8000/install/index.php in your browser.

  2. Complete the Installation: Fill out the necessary information in the form and submit it to automatically run migrations, seed the database, and perform initial setup steps.

tip

This step is optional; you can instead choose to manually run the migrations and seeders as explained in the next section.

Step 6: Run Database Migrations​

Serapha uses robmorgan/phinx for database migrations. The configuration is already set up in database/phinx.php. Follow these steps to apply the migrations and seed your database:

  1. Navigate to the Database Directory: First, change to the database directory:
cd database
  1. Run Migrations: Apply the migrations to your database using the following command:
../vendor/bin/phinx migrate

This command will execute the migrations defined in the database/migrations directory.

  1. Run Seeders: Populate the database with initial data by running the seeders:
../vendor/bin/phinx seed:run

This will execute the seed files defined in the database/seeds directory.

tip

Don't forget to check out the Phinx documentation for more detailed information on how to use its full capabilities.

Quick Start​

Start your application using the built-in PHP development server:

php -S localhost:8000 -t public

Open your browser and visit http://localhost:8000 to see your application.

Conclusion​

Whether you are building a small website or a large-scale web application, Serapha provides the tools and flexibility you need. Dive into the documentation to explore more features and start building with Serapha today!