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Version: v8.x

Getting Started

phpvms runs on PHP 8.2+ with MySQL or MariaDB. Follow these five steps and you'll have a working virtual airline ready to accept your first pilot.

01

Download phpvms

Grab the latest release from GitHub or clone the repo. Drop it into your web root and make the storage/ and bootstrap/cache/ directories writable.

git clone https://github.com/phpvms/phpvms.git
02

Configure your virtual host

Point your web server at the public/ directory. Caddy is recommended, but Apache and nginx configs are documented for both shared hosting and bare VPS setups.

yourdomain.com {
root * /path/to/phpvms/public
php_fastcgi localhost:9000
file_server
}
03

Run the install wizard

Visit your domain in a browser. The web installer walks you through the database connection, admin account, and initial configuration.

https://your-domain.com/install
04

Set up the cron job

phpvms runs scheduled tasks (PIREP processing, backups, etc.) via a single cron entry that triggers Laravel's scheduler every minute.

* * * * * php /path/to/phpvms/artisan schedule:run
05

You're flying

Log in to the admin panel and start adding your fleet, airports, and routes. The next steps below cover the most common follow-up tasks.

What's next

Common follow-up tasks once your install is up and running.

Need help?

Stuck on something or want to share what you've built? The community is active on the forum and GitHub.