Skip to main content

Folder layout

Everything LaraEnv installs and manages lives under a single root: C:\laraenv\. Knowing this layout makes it easy to find logs, configs, and your projects.

The C:\laraenv\ tree​

C:\laraenv\
├── www\                      your projects root (+ master config.json)
├── php\
│   ├── 7.4\                  installed PHP versions (e.g. 7.4, 8.3, 8.4)
│   ├── 8.3\
│   ├── 8.4\
│   └── current\              symlink to the active PHP version
├── nodejs\
│   ├── <version>\            installed Node.js versions
│   └── current\              symlink to the active Node version
├── python\
│   └── 3.13\
├── nginx\
│   ├── conf\
│   │   ├── nginx.conf        main Nginx config
│   │   └── sites\*.conf      per-project vhosts
│   ├── certs\                TLS certificates
│   └── logs\
├── apache\
├── mysql\
├── postgres\
├── redis\
├── mailpit\
├── composer\
├── cmder\
├── ssh\                      per-host key folders + known_hosts
├── cache\                    downloads / updates
└── bin\

Highlights​

  • www\ — your projects root, and the home of the master config.json.
  • php\<version>\ and php\current\ — every installed PHP version, with current\ pointing (via symlink) at the active one. Node.js works the same way under nodejs\.
  • nginx\conf\sites\*.conf — one vhost config file per project. Certificates live in nginx\certs\ and logs in nginx\logs\.
  • ssh\ — per-host key folders plus a shared known_hosts.
  • cache\ — where downloads and updates are stored.

Version markers​

Each installed component carries a .lara4ever-version marker file, which LaraEnv uses to track what's installed and at which version.

The hosts file​

LaraEnv patches the Windows hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts) so that *.test domains — or whatever TLD you choose — resolve to 127.0.0.1. This is why the app needs Administrator privileges.

Multi-window architecture​

LaraEnv can show more than one window:

  • Main window — the Dashboard and everything you manage day to day.
  • Detached terminal window — an optional, separate window for your terminal sessions.
  • Command-bar window — a standalone window you summon with a global hotkey to run commands quickly.

Learn more​