PHP Luminova: Launching Local Development Server

Luminova provides a convenient built-in development server, which leverages PHP's native web server functionality. This feature allows you to quickly set up a server for local development and testing, giving you a controlled environment to build and refine your application. You can opt to use Luminova’s built-in server or continue using platforms like XAMPP or WAMPP, depending on your workflow.

Features:

• Quick Setup: Launch your development environment with a single novakit command.
• Isolated Environment: Develop in a stable, controlled space tailored for local testing.
• Flexible Configuration: Customize the host and port to fit your network and workflow.
• Real-Time Testing: Seamlessly expose your server to other devices for immediate feedback and testing across the network.

Command Help

To display help related information for development server run the below command.

php novakit server --help

Server Command

The server command starts the Luminova PHP development server. To start server, navigate to your project main directory and run the following command:

php novakit server

This will start the server, allowing you to access your application over the browser by visiting http://localhost:8080.

Command Options

You can customize the server startup with the following options:

• -b, --php: - Specify the PHP binary location.
• -h, --host: - Specify the development hostname.
• -p, --port: - Specify the port for the development server.
• -t, --testing: - Start the server with the network address for testing on other devices

Specifying a hostname and port:

php novakit server --host=127.0.0.1 --port=8081

Passing your hostname and port will start the server and you can now view your application in your browser at http://127.0.0.1:8081.

Specifying the PHP version to use.

php novakit server --php=/path/to/php.binary

The value should be the path to the PHP executable binary version you want to use:

Third Party Server

If you prefer to use third-party development servers like XAMPP or WAMPP, simply install and start the respective application services. Then, navigate to the htdocs directory in XAMPP or the www directory in WAMPP and create your project directory (e.g., myproject.com).

You can access your project by navigating to http://localhost/myproject.com/public/ or http://127.0.0.1/myproject.com/public/, in your web browser, which will launch your project.

Real-Time Testing

To test your application on other devices connected to the same network during development, you need to expose your Luminova development server to those devices, such as your mobile phone or another computer. Follow these steps to make your local machine’s IP address accessible across the network.

Start with Testing Command

To start the server for testing on other devices, run command with --testing flag and your desired port number:

php novakit server --port=8080 --testing

Manual Testing Command

If the above command fails for any reason, you can manually set up the server as follows:

1. Find Your Computer’s Local IP Address:

   • On Windows, open the Command Prompt and run:

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     ipconfig

     Look for the "Wireless LAN adapter" (for Wi-Fi) or "Ethernet adapter" (for a wired connection). Find the IPv4 Address (e.g., 192.168.1.100).

   • On macOS or Linux, open the Terminal and run:

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     ifconfig

     Look for the "inet" address under the relevant network adapter, which is typically something like 192.168.x.x.

2. Start the Luminova Development Server with IP Binding:Use the novakit command to start the server, binding it to your local IP address. Run the following command, replacing 192.168.x.x with your actual IP and setting the port to your desired value (e.g., 8081):

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   php novakit server --host=192.168.x.x --port=8081

   • 192.168.x.x is your local IP address.
   • 8081 is the port you assigned.

   This command will run the development server at http://192.168.x.x:8081.

3. Access from Another Device (e.g., Your Mobile):On your mobile device, ensure it's connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Open a browser and navigate to:

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   http://192.168.x.x:8081

   You should now be able to view your Luminova development site from any of your devices.

4. Optional - Hostname Mapping (Using a Custom Domain, e.g., foo.bar.baz):If you want to use a custom domain like foo.com, you can set up hostname mapping:

   • On your mobile device:

     • For iOS or Android, use a tool or app like Localhost or Dnsmasq to map the domain to your computer’s IP address.

   • On Windows/macOS/Linux:Manually edit the hosts file:

     • On Windows, the file is located at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.
     • On macOS/Linux, it's located at /etc/hosts.

     Add the following entry:

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     192.168.x.x foo.com

     This will map foo.com to your computer’s IP, allowing you to access the server via http://foo.com:8081.

Important Notes:

Firewall Configuration: Ensure your firewall allows incoming connections on the port you're using (e.g., 8081).

Network Connection: Your development computer and other testing devices must be connected to the same network (Wi-Fi) for this to work.