Cake PHP Installation and Setup on Windows 11 and Laragon

Installing the latest stable version of CakePHP (version 5.3+) using Laragon on Windows 11 is straightforward. CakePHP 5 requires PHP 8.1 to 8.5 and specific PHP extensions enabled. Laragon makes it easy to set this up.

Here is the step-by-step guide to getting it up and running.

Step 1: Verify PHP Version & Requirements

CakePHP 5.x requires a modern version of PHP and a few specific extensions.

1. Check PHP version: Open Laragon, right-click anywhere in the interface, and go to PHP -> Version. Ensure you are running PHP 8.1 or higher (PHP 8.2 or 8.3 is ideal).
2. Enable Required Extensions: Right-click the Laragon interface, navigate to PHP -> Extensions, and make sure the following are checked/enabled:

• intl (Crucial for CakePHP)
• mbstring
• openssl
• pdo_mysql (or whichever database you plan to use)

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Step 2: Open Laragon's Terminal

Laragon comes with a pre-configured terminal that has php and composer already built into its environment variables.

1. Click the Terminal button on the main Laragon panel.
2. By default, it will open to your root web directory: C:\laragon\www\.

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Step 3: Create the CakePHP Project

In the terminal, run the standard Composer command to create a new CakePHP project. Replace my_cake_app with whatever you want to name your project folder:

composer create-project --prefer-dist cakephp/app:^5.3 my_cake_app
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Note: Specifying ^5.3 ensures Composer grabs the latest stable release of the CakePHP 5 branch.

During the installation, the installer will ask you a permission prompt:

• Set Folder Permissions? (y/N) -> Type y and press Enter.

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Step 4: Configure Your Database (Optional but Recommended)

Laragon automatically generates a clean local database for you, or you can use its MySQL instance.

1. Open your new project folder: C:\laragon\www\my_cake_app.
2. Navigate to config and open app_local.php.
3. Scroll down to the 'Datasources' array and update your connection info. Out of the box, Laragon's default MySQL configuration is:

• username: root
• password: (leave empty '')
• database: my_cake_app (Make sure to create this database in Laragon using phpMyAdmin or HeidiSQL)

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Step 5: Access Your App

Laragon features an automatic Auto Virtual Hosts mechanism.

1. Click Stop on Laragon, and then click Start All to refresh the server configuration.
2. Open your web browser and go to: http://my_cake_app.test

You should see the bright red/gray CakePHP welcome page confirming that your environment is properly set up!