binary

The binary option tells the plugin which PHP executable to use for the internal development server.

Default

usePHP();

Without a value the plugin runs the php command from your system PATH. Make sure php -v works in your terminal.

Custom path

If you have PHP installed in a non-standard location, or you want to pin a specific version, pass the full path:

usePHP({
    binary: '/opt/lampp/bin/php-8.2.0',
});

On macOS with a Homebrew PHP:

usePHP({
    binary: '/opt/homebrew/bin/php',
});

On Windows use forward slashes or double backslashes:

usePHP({
    binary: 'C:\\\\xampp\\\\php\\\\php.exe',
});

Version notes

The plugin uses PHP's built-in development server (php -S). Any PHP version that ships with this server works. The plugin has been tested with PHP 8.0 and newer.

Debugging

If the dev server fails to start, the plugin logs the error in the Vite console. First checks:

• Is the path correct? Run the value directly in your terminal.
• Is the binary executable?
• Does your PHP install include the CLI SAPI? (php -v should show cli.)