Question 1

How do I set up Nix PHP Shell with direnv?

Accepted Answer

Add a line like 'use flake github:loophp/nix-shell#env-php-master-snapshot --impure' to your .envrc file, then use direnv to automatically load the PHP environment when entering the directory, integrating with nix-direnv for seamless workflow.

Question 2

Nix PHP Shell vs Docker for PHP development – which should I use?

Accepted Answer

Nix PHP Shell focuses on reproducibility and automatic extension detection within the Nix ecosystem, while Docker offers containerization with broader tooling. Choose Nix if you value declarative, Nix-based environments; Docker is better for cross-platform consistency without Nix overhead.

Question 3

Does Nix PHP Shell support PHP 8.3 or 8.4?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it supports stable PHP versions from 5.6 to 8.4, including the latest releases. You can check available versions by running 'nix flake show github:loophp/nix-shell' to see the full list.

Question 4

How can I add a custom PHP extension not in composer.json?

Accepted Answer

The tool auto-infers extensions from composer.json, but for custom ones, you need to use the buildPhpFromComposer API function in your Nix flake to manually specify additional extensions, as outlined in the 'In another flake' usage section.

Question 5

Is Nix PHP Shell production ready or just for development?

Accepted Answer

Primarily designed for development to ensure environment parity, it creates custom PHP builds that can be adapted for production. However, production deployments should still rely on standard methods, with the builds serving as a consistent base.

Question 6

What does the --impure flag do in Nix PHP Shell?

Accepted Answer

The --impure flag allows dynamic configuration, such as loading custom .user.ini files or parsing composer.json for extensions. It's required for these features but may conflict with pure Nix evaluations, as noted in the documentation.

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