What is ForgeKit?

ForgeKit is a Windows-first local development environment designed to make running PHP web projects simple, predictable, and fast.

It bundles and manages:

  • Web servers (Apache / Nginx)
  • Multiple PHP versions
  • MySQL / MariaDB
  • phpMyAdmin
  • Composer (v2 and v1)
  • A built-in terminal
  • A CLI (fkit)

ForgeKit gives you full control over versions and configuration — without requiring Docker, WSL, or complex setup.

The Core Idea

ForgeKit is built around three main concepts:

  • Sites → Virtual hosts (projects)
  • Instances → Configured servers that run on your machine (Apache, Nginx, Mysql, MariaDB)
  • Binaries → Runtime versions (official versions of PHP, MySQL, Apache etc.)

You install versions once. You create servers from them. You attach sites to servers.

Who is ForgeKit for?

  • Developers managing multiple PHP versions
  • Freelancers juggling legacy + modern projects
  • Agencies needing predictable local environments
  • Developers who prefer native Windows tooling
  • Anyone who wants control without Docker complexity

Who ForgeKit is not for

  • Developers who need containers or VMs
  • Linux or MacOS based developers. Although if enough interest, we might develop it for them too.

ForgeKit runs real binaries directly on Windows — transparently.

Continue to → Installation