How to Install CakePHP on Ubuntu 24.04

Install PHP requirements

To install CakePHP Ubuntu 24.04, you must first set up PHP and its associated tools using the terminal. The apt package manager installs PHP, Composer, and essential extensions like curl, sqlite, and xml so your framework has everything it needs to run properly.

Run the command below to install some essential PHP packages.

sudo apt update
sudo  apt install composer php8.3-curl php8.3-sqlite3 php8.3-xml php8.3-mysql

Once PHP is installed, open its configuration file. PHP 8.3 is the current version available in Ubuntu 24.04 as of this writing.

sudo nano /etc/php/8.3/cli/php.ini

When the file opens, change the highlighted line.

# line 1614: adjust the value
; Default Value: 1
; Development Value: 1
; Production Value: -1
; https://php.net/zend.assertions

zend.assertions = 1

;
;

Save and exit.

Create CakePHP project

To create a CakePHP project on Ubuntu 24.04, you need to make a new directory and use Composer to download the application files. Composer builds the framework inside your folder, which prepares your new web app for local development and testing.

mkdir project

Change into the project folder and create the CakePHP app.

cd project
composer create-project cakephp/app MyApp

Successful execution produces output similar to the example below.

Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp/cache
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp/cache/models
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp/cache/persistent
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp/cache/views
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp/sessions
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp/tests
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/tmp
Permissions set on /home/richard/project/MyApp/logs
Updated Security.salt value in config/app_local.php

Change to the MyApp folder and run CakePHP.

cd MyApp
./bin/cake server -H 0.0.0.0 -p 8765

Open a browser and navigate to the server's hostname or IP address followed by port # 8765.

Welcome to CakePHP v5.1.6 Console
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
App : src
Path: /home/richard/project/MyApp/src/
DocumentRoot: /home/richard/project/MyApp/webroot
Ini Path: 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
built-in server is running in http://0.0.0.0:8765/
You can exit with `CTRL-C`

The development server is now up and running.

Getting CakePHP running on Ubuntu 24.04 comes down to a few core tasks:

• Install PHP and required packages: Ensure PHP and necessary PHP extensions are installed using the appropriate commands.
• Configure PHP settings: Modify the PHP configuration file to enable assertions for better error handling.
• Create a project directory: Set up a dedicated folder for your CakePHP project.
• Use Composer to create a CakePHP application: Easily generate a new CakePHP application within the project directory.
• Run the application: Start the CakePHP server and verify it by accessing the designated port in your web browser.

Following these steps efficiently sets up the CakePHP web application on Ubuntu 24.04, allowing concentration to shift entirely to development.