Getting Started

Getting Started

Install

1. Download the installer for your OS from GitHub Releases:
   • Windows: DevTent Setup x.y.z.exe
   • macOS: DevTent-x.y.z-arm64.dmg or …-x64.dmg
   • Linux: AppImage or .deb (x64 / arm64)
2. Run the installer. On Windows, if SmartScreen warns about an unsigned app, choose More info → Run anyway (OSS builds may be unsigned — see SIGNING.md).

First-run setup

On first launch DevTent opens a short setup card:

1. Leave Install recommended stack checked (PHP 8.3, Nginx, MySQL, mkcert).
2. Leave Start services after setup checked if you want the stack running immediately.
3. Click Get Started.

DevTent creates its portable root (for example c:\devtent on Windows) and downloads runtimes into bin/. No folder picker is required.

Coming from Laragon or another stack? Finish setup first, then use Settings → Transfer → Import environment. The source folder is never modified.

Tray-first workflow

After setup, look for the tent icon in the system tray (notification area). Click it for the quick panel:

From the tray you can:

• Start / stop profile services
• Open sites, Mail, Dumps, Database, Doctor
• Switch profiles
• Open the full dashboard

Open the dashboard

Use Full Dashboard in the tray, or run:

devtent open

The dashboard shows stack health, sites you’re serving, and shortcuts (New site, Services, Database, Logs, Doctor).

Create your first site

1. Open Quick App (sidebar → Sites, or dashboard New site).
2. Pick a template (Laravel, WordPress, plain PHP, …) and a project name.
3. Click Create Project.
4. Open https://yourname.localhost (default) — no hosts-file admin needed.

Prefer .test domains? Switch under Settings → General → Domain suffix, then Projects → Sync virtual hosts (and approve the admin hosts prompt once if needed).

Keyboard shortcuts

Key	Action
Ctrl+K / ⌘K	Command palette
1–9	Jump primary views (Dashboard → … → Settings)
S	Start all services
R	Refresh
D	Open Doctor
/	Command palette

Next: Sites & Projects