Flock 1.0.0 bypasses Docker and virtual machines by managing PHP, Node.js, databases, and web servers as native background processes. It natively secures local .test domains with automated HTTPS certificates and coordinates side-by-side versions of PHP ranging from 8.1 to 8.5. Unlike proprietary options, it offers integrated database administration, mail catching, and site sharing via Cloudflare tunnels without requiring paid upgrades. Furthermore, it incorporates a Model Context Protocol server that directly interfaces with AI tools such as Cursor and Claude Code.
Key points
The tool delivers advanced features like dump viewing and database management at no cost,…: The tool delivers advanced features like dump viewing and database management at no cost, which competing software restricts to paid subscriptions.
Modern deployment capabilities include automated Git worktrees, Cloudflare-tunneled shari…: Modern deployment capabilities include automated Git worktrees, Cloudflare-tunneled sharing, and Model Context Protocol connections for AI assistants.
Environments running Flock must have ports 80 and 443 completely unreserved and cannot ex…: Environments running Flock must have ports 80 and 443 completely unreserved and cannot execute PHP runtimes older than version 8.1.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Lukas Frey and the team at Guava, a software studio in the Czech Republic, have released Flock 1.0.0. Flock is a local development app for Laravel and other PHP projects. It runs PHP, Node.js, databases, and the web server as native processes on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It does not use Docker or a virtual machine. Flock is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, and you don't need an account to use it.
Flock has many of the same features as Laravel Herd: .test
domains with trusted HTTPS, a PHP version for each project, and a menu bar or tray app. Herd, however, needs a Pro license for databases, the mail catcher, and the dump viewer. In Flock, they are free. Flock also runs on Linux, and Herd does not.
We covered two other Herd alternatives this year. Lerd runs on Linux and macOS, and on Windows through WSL2, though it runs its services in Podman containers. EnvKit (as of this writing) is still in beta and runs on Windows and macOS.
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