EnvKit — local development environment for Windows

Name: envkit-releases
Author: Env-Kit

Your local stack, one place. A free Laragon / XAMPP / Herd alternative.

EnvKit is a Windows desktop app that runs your entire local web-development stack — nginx or
Apache, multiple PHP versions, MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, Mailpit, Node.js,
Python, phpMyAdmin, trusted .test HTTPS, and PATH sync — from one modern tray app. Build
Laravel, WordPress, PHP, and Node/React/Next.js sites locally with one-click services and
trusted local SSL. It can even be driven by an AI assistant (Claude Code / Desktop, Cursor,
Windsurf, VS Code, Zed, OpenCode, Gemini CLI) through a built-in MCP server.

This repository is the public home for EnvKit releases & documentation. Grab the
installer from the Releases
page. The application source is maintained privately.

Install

Download the latest EnvKit-Setup-x.y.z.exe from the
releases page and run it.

EnvKit auto-updates: once installed, it checks GitHub for new releases and installs them
silently in place (Settings → Updates lets you check/download manually). On first launch a
short onboarding wizard asks your source — Load from Laragon (a guided detect →
import flow, including databases) or Start fresh (pick your stack and install the
runtimes it needs).

Upgrading from a previous version? Your data directory, certificates, and settings are
migrated automatically on first launch — nothing to do.

Requirements

Windows 10 / 11

Screenshots

Dashboard

Sites

Services

Tools

AI (MCP)

Settings

Highlights

nginx or Apache, switchable in Settings — PHP via FastCGI on both.
Trusted .test HTTPS for every site via an auto-installed local CA.
Multiple PHP versions with per-site isolation and Xdebug on-demand.
Bundled databases & tools — MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, Mailpit,
Node.js, Python, phpMyAdmin, plus Composer/Git/gh/nvm/ngrok/Cmder installers.
Node / React / Next.js dev sites reverse-proxied at .test HTTPS with hot-reload.
Laravel Reverb (WebSockets) — one-click install, supervise, and proxy per site.
Import from Laragon — projects and databases (incl. MySQL → MariaDB transfer).
Diagnose & self-heal services — find port conflicts / stale PIDs / bad configs and
repair them.
AI control via MCP — let Claude Code/Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, Zed, OpenCode,
or Gemini CLI operate your stack: add/remove sites, manage MySQL databases, start/stop and
diagnose services.
Clean PATH, your way — sync to the user or system (Machine) PATH, with stale
entries pruned and competing stacks (Laragon/XAMPP/WAMP/MAMP/Herd…) auto-removed so
nothing shadows EnvKit's php/mysql/nginx.
Light/dark, fully translated (EN + AR, RTL) native UI in the tray.
Free to use (proprietary — not open source) with silent auto-update.

How EnvKit compares

A best-effort snapshot (mid-2026) against other popular local PHP stacks.

Feature	EnvKit	Laravel Herd	Laragon	AppServ	XAMPP
Platform	Windows	macOS, Windows	Windows	Windows	Win / macOS / Linux
Price / license	Free · proprietary	Free + paid Pro	Free	Free	Free
Web server	nginx + Apache	nginx	Apache + nginx	Apache	Apache
Multiple PHP versions	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Per-site PHP isolation	✅	✅	🟡	❌	❌
Auto `.test` domains	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Trusted local HTTPS	✅	✅	✅	❌	🟡 manual
MySQL / MariaDB	✅	💲 Pro	✅	✅	✅
PostgreSQL	✅	💲 Pro	🟡	❌	❌
Redis	✅	💲 Pro	🟡	❌	❌
MongoDB	✅	❌	🟡	❌	❌
DB web admin UIs (Postgres/Mongo)	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Mail catcher (Mailpit)	✅	💲 Pro	❌	❌	🟡 Mercury
Node.js	✅	🟡	✅	❌	❌
Node/React/Next.js dev sites	✅	🟡	🟡	❌	❌
Laravel Reverb (WebSockets)	✅	🟡	❌	❌	❌
nvm + per-project `.nvmrc`	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Python	✅	❌	🟡	❌	❌
Composer / Laravel scaffolding	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Light / dark UI	✅	✅	🟡	❌	❌
Multi-language UI (+ RTL)	✅	❌	🟡	❌	❌
Import from Laragon (projects + databases)	✅	❌	—	❌	❌
AI control via MCP	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Diagnose & self-heal services	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Auto-update	✅	✅	🟡	❌	❌

_{✅ built-in · 🟡 partial / via add-on · ❌ not available · 💲 paid tier}

AI access (MCP)

EnvKit ships an MCP server so AI assistants can operate your local stack.

Open Settings → AI and toggle Enable MCP server.
Click Set up AI clients — EnvKit registers itself globally with Claude Code /
Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, Zed, OpenCode, and Gemini CLI, and installs an
envkit skill. (Or copy the shown URL config into your client's mcpServers yourself.)
Restart your AI client, then ask things like "start redis", "diagnose why mysql
won't start, then repair it", or "list my Laravel sites".

The endpoint is local-only (http://127.0.0.1:<port>/mcp), bearer-token authenticated, off
by default, and only works while EnvKit is running.

Reporting issues

Found a bug or have a feature request?
Open an issue. Please include your Windows
version, EnvKit version, and steps to reproduce.

Team

EnvKit is built and maintained by:

Kirlos Osama — @ker00sama-dev
Youssef Yasser — @7aWy11
Ziad Talaat — @zsnakeee

License

_{EnvKit · Env-Kit}