Documentation

Introduction

DevNexus is a cross-platform desktop application designed to simplify local PHP and Laravel development. It manages all the services you need — PHP, MySQL, Caddy, Redis, Mailpit, and more — through a single, intuitive interface.

Built with Tauri v2 for a native experience, DevNexus combines the power of a Rust backend with a modern React frontend.

Installation

  1. Download the latest release for your operating system from the GitHub Releases page.
  2. Run the installer (DMG for macOS, MSI/NSIS for Windows, DEB/AppImage/RPM for Linux).
  3. Launch DevNexus from your applications menu.
  4. The app will automatically detect your ~/www directory and suggest downloading required services.

Note: DevNexus is compatible with Linux (x86_64, aarch64), macOS (Intel, Apple Silicon), and Windows (x86_64).

Getting Started

When you first launch DevNexus, you will see the Dashboard. From here, you can:

  • Download and install PHP, MySQL, Caddy, and other services from the Binaries page
  • Start/stop services from the Services page
  • Discover and manage your projects from the Sites page
  • Configure extensions and settings from the Config page

PHP Version Management

DevNexus supports PHP versions 8.0 through 8.4. Binaries are downloaded from static-php.dev, pre-compiled for your platform.

You can enable/disable extensions with a single click, and the app automatically generates optimized php.ini files.

# Example: Switch PHP version
# DevNexus handles this through the UI
# Binary locations are added to PATH automatically

MySQL Database Management

DevNexus downloads official MySQL Community Server binaries and initializes the data directory automatically.

For database administration, DevNexus integrates phpMyAdmin and Adminer, both served locally through Caddy at phpmyadmin.test and adminer.test.

Caddy Web Server

Caddy is configured automatically with PHP-FPM FastCGI support. Each project gets its own *.test domain with automatic TLS certificates.

The configuration reloads automatically when files change in your projects directory.

Redis Cache

DevNexus provides one-click Redis server management for caching and session storage. Simply click start on the Redis service card and it runs on the default port 6379.

No configuration needed — Redis starts with optimized defaults for local development.

Mailpit — Email Testing

Mailpit is an SMTP testing tool integrated into DevNexus. It captures all outgoing emails from your applications and provides a web UI to view them.

SMTP Server: localhost:1025 — Web UI: http://localhost:8025

No more emails accidentally sent to real addresses during development. Mailpit catches them all.

System Integration

DevNexus integrates deeply with your operating system to provide a seamless development experience.

  • PATH Injection — All binary directories are automatically added to your PATH.
  • /etc/hosts Management — Each project gets a *.test domain with automatic privilege escalation.
  • SSL Trust — Caddy Root CA is injected into your system certificate store for trusted local HTTPS.
  • File Watcher — Automatically reloads Caddy configuration when files change.

Theme System

DevNexus includes a powerful theme system that lets you customize the entire look and feel of the application.

  • Flat UI — Clean, modern default theme
  • Neon Terminal — Dark, cyberpunk-inspired theme
  • Custom Themes — Import and export themes as JSON files
  • Design Tokens — Colors, fonts, spacing, shadows, and more are all customizable

Switch between dark and light mode, or create your own theme and share it with the community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DevNexus free?

Yes, DevNexus is completely free and open source under the MIT license.

Which operating systems are supported?

DevNexus supports Linux (deb, AppImage, RPM), macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon), and Windows (MSI, NSIS).

Do I need to install PHP separately?

No. DevNexus downloads and manages PHP binaries for you. You can install multiple versions and switch between them.

Can I use DevNexus with existing projects?

Absolutely. DevNexus auto-discovers projects in your ~/www directory and supports Laravel, CakePHP, WordPress, Slim, and more.