How does PHP Censor compare to Jenkins for PHP projects?

PHP Censor is lighter and more PHP-focused, with built-in support for PHP tools like PHPUnit and PHPMessDetector, while Jenkins is more general-purpose but requires more plugins for PHP-specific tasks. However, Jenkins has a larger ecosystem and community support.

Can I run PHP Censor on a Windows server?

No, PHP Censor explicitly states that Unix-like OS is required, and Windows is not supported. You'll need a Linux or macOS environment for deployment, which can be a limitation for some teams.

How to set up database tests in PHP Censor for MySQL?

Configure the MySQL plugin in your .php-censor.yml file to set up and tear down test databases. The documentation provides detailed steps, including environment variable setup for database connections during CI runs.

Does PHP Censor support Docker containers for builds?

The README doesn't mention Docker as a core feature. While PHP Censor might run in a container, native Docker integration for isolated build environments isn't highlighted, so it may lack advanced containerization compared to other CI tools.

What's the difference between PHP Censor and Travis CI?

PHP Censor is self-hosted and free, giving full control over infrastructure, while Travis CI is a cloud service with paid tiers. PHP Censor is tailored for PHP with specific plugins, whereas Travis CI supports multiple languages but might need more configuration for PHP tools.

How to install PHP Censor on Ubuntu?

Follow the installation guide in the documentation, which involves cloning the repository, installing dependencies via Composer, setting up the database (e.g., MySQL), configuring the web server, and starting the Beanstalkd queue. It requires PHP 7.4+ and specific PHP extensions.

php-censor — Self-Hosted PHP CI Server

What is php-censor?

PHP Censor is an open-source continuous integration server designed specifically for PHP projects. It automates building, testing, and code quality checks whenever changes are pushed to a repository. It solves the problem of maintaining code quality and catching bugs early in the development cycle for PHP teams who prefer self-hosted infrastructure.

Target Audience

PHP development teams and individual developers who need a self-hosted CI solution to automate testing and code quality checks for their projects.

Value Proposition

Developers choose PHP Censor because it is a lightweight, PHP-native CI server that is easy to self-host, offers extensive plugin support for PHP-specific tools, and provides full control over the build environment without relying on third-party SaaS services.

Overview

PHP Censor is an open source self-hosted continuous integration server for PHP projects.

Use Cases

Best For

PHP teams needing a self-hosted alternative to cloud CI services
Automating PHPUnit, Behat, or Codeception test suites
Enforcing code quality standards with PHP_CodeSniffer and PHPMessDetector
Setting up database tests for MySQL or PostgreSQL during CI runs
Integrating CI with version control systems like GitLab, GitHub, or Bitbucket
Sending build notifications to Slack, Telegram, or email

Not Ideal For

Cross-platform development teams that require Windows support for their CI server
Large-scale enterprises needing advanced container orchestration features like native Docker integration
Projects primarily using non-PHP languages where multi-language CI support is crucial
Teams looking for a fully managed, cloud-based CI service with minimal maintenance overhead

Pros & Cons

Pros

PHP-Focused Tooling Integration

Seamlessly integrates with PHP-specific tools like PHPUnit, Codeception, and PHP_CodeSniffer, making it easy to automate testing and code quality checks for PHP projects.

Flexible Configuration Methods

Supports zero-config setups, YAML-based configuration similar to Travis CI, and web-based project management, providing multiple ways to define build pipelines.

Comprehensive VCS Support

Connects to a wide range of version control systems including GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Git, Mercurial, and Subversion, allowing integration with diverse project sources.

Built-in Database Testing

Automatically sets up and tears down test databases for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite, facilitating robust database testing in CI environments.

Cons

Unix-Only Deployment

Explicitly does not support Windows, limiting its use in mixed-OS development environments or teams reliant on Windows servers.

Dependency on Beanstalkd Queue

Requires Beanstalkd as a message queue, adding complexity to the setup and maintenance compared to solutions with built-in queue management.

Version Fragmentation and Breaking Changes

Multiple unsupported legacy versions exist, and the upgrade from v1 to v2 involved significant changes, as noted in migration documentation, indicating potential instability.

Open Source Alternative To

php-censor is an open-source alternative to the following products:

Travis CI

Travis CI is a continuous integration service that automatically builds and tests software projects hosted on GitHub, supporting multiple programming languages and deployment workflows.

Jenkins

Jenkins is an open-source automation server that enables developers to build, test, and deploy their software through continuous integration and delivery pipelines.

php-censor

What is php-censor?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Open Source Alternative To

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

php-censor

What is php-censor?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Open Source Alternative To

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?