ePHPm recipes

Tested, ready-to-run recipes for running popular open-source PHP applications and frameworks on ePHPm, the single-binary PHP application server. Each recipe replaces the usual nginx/apache + php-fpm (+ Redis, + optionally MySQL) stack with one ePHPm container.

• apps/<name>/ — one directory per application: a Dockerfile built FROM ephpm/ephpm:<pinned tag>, an ephpm.toml, a compose.yml with the app's real database, a README with what it replaces and what to watch for, and a test.sh smoke test that CI runs on every push.
• Where it makes sense a second compose.embedded.yml runs the app as a single container on ePHPm's embedded MySQL-compatible database (the Turso engine — Beta upstream, so this variant is always labelled experimental) with the built-in KV store standing in for Redis cache/sessions. Redis used as a queue broker stays a real Redis.
• candidates.csv — the survey of 250+ active PHP web apps this list is drawn from, with each one's deployment method, database, PHP/extension requirements and whether it fits ePHPm.
• ISSUES.md — ePHPm bugs and gaps found while writing recipes.
• UPSTREAM.md — proposed additions to upstream projects' own docs.

Using a recipe

git clone https://github.com/ephpm/recipes
cd recipes/apps/wordpress
docker compose up -d          # podman compose works too
open http://localhost:8080    # EPHPM_PORT=8090 to use another host port

Every recipe's README says which environment variables it reads (they match the app's official image where one exists), how to run the app's CLI through the embedded PHP (docker compose exec ephpm ephpm php ...), and what is known not to work.

Status

"tested" means the smoke test in test.sh was run on the ePHPm tag shown, on the date shown: the image builds, the app installs, the home page answers 200, and one real workflow (log in / create a record) succeeds. Anything else is untested, and the README says so.

Recipe	App	Replaces	Default DB	Embedded variant	Status
wordpress	WordPress 7.1	nginx/apache + fpm, Redis object cache	MariaDB	yes (experimental)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
laravel	Laravel 12 skeleton	nginx + fpm, Redis cache/sessions, Octane server (worker variant)	MariaDB	yes (experimental)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (per-request, worker, embedded)
symfony	Symfony Demo 2.9 (Symfony 8)	nginx + fpm / Symfony CLI / FrankenPHP	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (MariaDB, SQLite)
bookstack	BookStack 26.09	nginx + fpm (linuxserver image)	MariaDB	no (embedded DB rejects ADD CONSTRAINT)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
invoiceplane	InvoicePlane 1.7	nginx + php-fpm containers	MariaDB	no (embedded DB rejects ALTER TABLE … MODIFY)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
easyappointments	Easy!Appointments 1.6	nginx + php-fpm containers	MariaDB	no (embedded DB rejects ADD CONSTRAINT)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
codeigniter4	CodeIgniter 4.7 appstarter	apache/nginx + fpm, spark serve	MariaDB	yes (experimental)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
slim	Slim 4 skeleton (any PSR-15 app)	nginx + fpm, RoadRunner (worker variant via psr15-worker)	none	single container (native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (per-request, worker)
cakephp	CakePHP 5.4 app skeleton	apache/nginx + fpm, bin/cake server	MariaDB	no (embedded DB rejects SHOW FULL TABLES)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
firefly-iii	Firefly III	official image (apache) + cron	MariaDB	see README	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
linkace	LinkAce 2.6	nginx + fpm (supervisord image)	MariaDB	no (schema dump DDL)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
shaarli	Shaarli	nginx + fpm	flat-file	single container (native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
kanboard	Kanboard	nginx + fpm + s6 + crond	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
kimai	Kimai	kimai2:fpm + nginx / kimai2:apache	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
wallabag	wallabag	nginx + fpm + s6	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.4 (both variants)
shlink	Shlink	RoadRunner (official image) / nginx + fpm	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
snipe-it	Snipe-IT	Apache + PHP image, Redis cache/sessions	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
privatebin	PrivateBin	nginx + fpm + s6	flat-file	single container (native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
yourls	YOURLS	Apache + mod_php	MariaDB	no (embedded DB rejects column-level CHARACTER SET)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
wallos	Wallos	nginx + fpm + dcron	SQLite (app-native)	single container (native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
freshrss	FreshRSS	Apache + mod_php + crond	PostgreSQL	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
castopod	Castopod	FrankenPHP + supercronic (s6)	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.4
movary	Movary	nginx + fpm + job worker (supervisord)	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
phpmyadmin	phpMyAdmin	Apache + mod_php	MariaDB (managed)	—	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (with a ResponseRenderer patch, see README)
dokuwiki	DokuWiki	Apache/nginx + fpm	flat-file	single container (native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
invoiceninja	Invoice Ninja 5	fpm image + nginx, Redis	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
espocrm	EspoCRM	official image (apache/fpm) + daemon container	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.4
akaunting	Akaunting	nginx/apache + fpm, Redis	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.3
koillection	Koillection	FrankenPHP (worker)	PostgreSQL	MariaDB variant	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (PostgreSQL, MariaDB)
adminer	Adminer	php -S (official image)	MariaDB (managed)	—	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
mediawiki	MediaWiki	Apache + mod_php	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
part-db	Part-DB	Apache + fpm	MariaDB	SQLite single container (app-native)	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5 (both variants)
pelican	Pelican Panel	Caddy + fpm + supervisord (scheduler, queue)	SQLite (app-native)	single container + scheduler/queue sidecars	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
matomo	Matomo	Apache + mod_php / nginx + fpm	MariaDB	no	tested 2026-10-11, v0.11.3-php8.5
mantisbt	MantisBT 2.28	Apache + mod_php / nginx + fpm	MariaDB	no (untried)	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
projectsend	ProjectSend 2.7	nginx + fpm + queue worker + scheduler	MySQL	no (untried)	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
aimeos	Aimeos shop distribution aimeos/aimeos and the crontab running art...	compose.yml — ePHPm + jobs sidecar (same image) + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
ampache	Ampache 8.2.2 (AMPACHE_VERSION build arg; the _all_php8.5 relea	the ampache/ampache image (Apache + mod_php + cron under superviso...	compose.yml — ePHPm + a cron service on the same image + MariaDB...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
bagisto	Bagisto v2.5.0 (BAGISTO_VERSION build arg) — Laravel 13	a nginx/apache + php-fpm host and the cron entry for the Laravel s...	compose.yml — ePHPm + the scheduler (same image) + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
cachet	Cachet 3.x (cachethq/cachet commit 40bd081, CACHET_REF build	Cachet's docker image (nginx + php-fpm, supervisord running the sc...	compose.yml — ePHPm + scheduler + queue worker (same image) + Ma...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
directorylister	Directory Lister 5.7.0 (DL_VERSION build arg)	a web server (Apache/nginx) + php-fpm in front of the release (the...	compose.yml — one ePHPm container, the listed files in a volume ...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
dolibarr	Dolibarr 24.0.2 (DOLI_VERSION build arg)	the official dolibarr/dolibarr image (php-apache + the mysql clien...	compose.yml — ePHPm + cron (same image) + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.4
drupal	Drupal 11.4.9 (drupal/recommended-project, DRUPAL_VERSION bu	Apache + mod_php (the official drupal image)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
elgg	Elgg 7.1.1 (ELGG_VERSION build arg)	Apache (install/config/htaccess.dist) or nginx (nginx.dist) + php-...	compose.yml — ePHPm + a cron service on the same image + MariaDB...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
filegator	FileGator 7.16.5 (FILEGATOR_VERSION build arg)	Apache + mod_php (the official filegator/filegator image)	compose.yml — one ePHPm container; files in the repository volum...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
flarum	Flarum 2.0 (flarum/flarum skeleton, FLARUM_VERSION build arg) wi	nginx + php-fpm (the mondedie/flarum / crazymax/flarum images)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
freescout	FreeScout 1.8.247 (FREESCOUT_VERSION build arg)	Apache/nginx + php-fpm + the * * * * * php artisan schedule:run cr...	compose.yml — ePHPm + scheduler + queue worker (same image) + Ma...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
fusio	Fusio 7.2.0 (fusio/impl 8.8.9; FUSIO_VERSION build ar	the official fusio/fusio image: Apache + mod_php + cron + supervis...	compose.yml — ePHPm + cron and worker sidecars (same image) + Ma...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
glpi	GLPI 12.0.0 (GLPI_VERSION build arg)	Apache + mod_php + supervisord (running the GLPI cron) — the off...	compose.yml — ePHPm + cron sidecar (same image) + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
grav	Grav 2.2.6, the grav-admin package (admin2 panel + API plugin) (	Apache/nginx + php-fpm (the linuxserver/grav image)	compose.yml — one container; Grav is flat-file, no database	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
grocy	Grocy 4.7.1 (GROCY_VERSION build arg; requires PHP 8.5)	the linuxserver/grocy image (nginx + php-fpm + s6)	compose.yml — one container; Grocy's own SQLite database in the ...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
heimdall	Heimdall v2.8.3 (HEIMDALL_VERSION build arg)	the linuxserver/heimdall image (nginx + php-fpm + s6)	compose.yml — one container, SQLite in the data volume (upstream...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
invoiceshelf	InvoiceShelf 2.4.6 (INVOICESHELF_VERSION build arg) — Lara	the invoiceshelf/invoiceshelf image (nginx + php-fpm + cron)	compose.yml — ePHPm + a scheduler service on the same image + Ma...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
joomla	Joomla! 6.1.4 (JOOMLA_VERSION build arg)	Apache + mod_php (the official joomla image)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
krayin	Krayin CRM v2.2.6 (KRAYIN_VERSION build arg) — Laravel 12	a nginx/apache + php-fpm host and the cron entry for the Laravel s...	compose.yml — ePHPm + the scheduler (same image) + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
librespeed	LibreSpeed v6.3.0 (LIBRESPEED_VERSION build a	Apache + mod_php (the ghcr.io/librespeed/speedtest image)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11 (results / telemetry database)	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
limesurvey	LimeSurvey 7.5.0 (LIMESURVEY_VERSION build arg)	Apache + mod_php (the widely used martialblog/limesurvey image)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
mautic	Mautic 7.2.1 (mautic/recommended-project, MAUTIC_VERSION build a	the official mautic/mautic image in its three roles — mautic_web...	compose.yml — ePHPm (web) + cron + worker (same image) + MariaDB...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.4
moodle	Moodle 5.3.0 (MOODLE_VERSION build arg, a git tag)	Apache/nginx + php-fpm + the system crontab entry for admin/cli/cr...	compose.yml — ePHPm + cron sidecar (same image) + PostgreSQL 17	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
nextcloud	Nextcloud server 35.0.1 (NEXTCLOUD_VERSION build arg; 35 is the	the nextcloud:apache image (Apache + mod_php), or nextcloud:fpm + ...	compose.yml — ePHPm + a background-jobs sidecar + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
ojs	OJS 3.5.0-4 (OJS_VERSION build arg)	the official pkp/ojs image (php-apache with AcceptPathInfo + mod_r...	compose.yml — ePHPm + the scheduled-tasks runner + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.4
open-web-analytics	Open Web Analytics 1.14.0 (OWA_VERSION build arg)	Apache/nginx + php-fpm, and the crontab entry for php cli.php cmd=...	compose.yml — ePHPm + a cron service on the same image + MariaDB...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
opensourcepos	Open Source Point of Sale 3.4.2 (OSPOS_	the jekkos/opensourcepos image (Apache + mod_php)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.4
piwigo	Piwigo 16.4.0 (PIWIGO_VERSION build arg)	Apache/nginx + php-fpm (the linuxserver/piwigo image)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
pterodactyl	Pterodactyl Panel v1.15.1 (PTERODACTYL_VERSION build arg) —	nginx + php-fpm + supervisord (queue worker) + crond (scheduler) â...	compose.yml — ePHPm + queue worker + scheduler (same image) + Ma...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
roundcube	Roundcube 1.7.4 (ROUNDCUBE_VERSION build arg)	Apache + mod_php (the roundcube/roundcubemail image)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11 + a throwaway test mail server ...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
rss-bridge	RSS-Bridge release 2025-08-05 (RSSBRIDGE_VE	the rssbridge/rss-bridge image (nginx + php-fpm)	compose.yml — one container, no database (file cache)	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
selfoss	selfoss 2.19 (SELFOSS_VERSION build arg; the latest tagged r	Apache with selfoss's .htaccess (or nginx + php-fpm), and the cron...	compose.yml — ePHPm + an updater service on the same image; self...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
solidinvoice	SolidInvoice 3.0.1 (SOLIDINVOICE_VERSION build arg)	the official solidinvoice/solidinvoice image (a static FrankenPHP ...	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.4
speedtest-tracker	Speedtest Tracker v1.15.0 (SPEEDTEST_TRACKER_VERSION bu	the linuxserver/speedtest-tracker image (nginx + php-fpm + s6 with...	compose.yml — ePHPm + scheduler + queue sidecars, SQLite on a vo...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
suitecrm	SuiteCRM 7.15.2 (SUITECRM_VERSION build arg)	Apache + mod_php (the usual SuiteCRM 7 host, e.g. the bitnami imag...	compose.yml — ePHPm + a cron service on the same image + MariaDB...	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.4
tinyfilemanager	Tiny File Manager 2.6 (TFM_VERSION build arg)	the tinyfilemanager/tinyfilemanager image (php -S, PHP's developme...	compose.yml — ePHPm only (no database)	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
typecho	Typecho 1.3.0 (TYPECHO_VERSION build arg)	nginx + php-fpm (the joyqi/typecho images)	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
uvdesk	UVdesk Community v1.1.8 (uvdesk/community-skeleton, UVDESK_VE	the official community-skeleton image (Ubuntu + apache2 + mod_php,...	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.3
yii2	Yii 2 basic application template yiisoft/yii2-app-basic	Apache + mod_php (the yiisoftware/yii2-php apache image), or nginx...	compose.yml — ePHPm + MariaDB 11	see README	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
phpbb	phpBB	see README	MariaDB	see README	untested — test.sh is not reproducible on 2026-10-12: the login POST is answered 200 with the login form (form token rejected) in 4 of 5 runs; it passed once, earlier results unconfirmed
filament-demo	filament-demo	see README	see README	—	blocked — ePHPm's GD has no JPEG support: the demo seeder attaches JPEG images to every product and Spatie Media Library's thumb conversion fails (`imagecreatefro
lychee	lychee	see README	see README	—	blocked — ePHPm's GD has no WebP (or JPEG) support (issues/koel.md): Lychee writes every size variant (thumbnails, small, medium) as WebP, so an upload stores the
opencart	opencart	see README	see README	—	blocked — ePHPm's GD has no JPEG support: the CLI installer completes and the admin login page answers, but the storefront home page renders `Error: Call to undefin
prestashop	prestashop	see README	see README	—	blocked — ePHPm's GD has no JPEG support: the installer's theme step calls imagecreatefromjpeg() (resizing the bundled language flag images) and aborts with `Call
hortusfox	hortusfox	see README	see README	—	blocked — every photo HortusFox stores (plants, plant gallery, locations, inventory) goes through a thumbnail step that calls imagecreatefromjpeg()/imagejpeg() for
pico	pico	see README	see README	—	blocked — upstream is end-of-life (README notice, March 2025; last release 2.1.4 from 2020) and it requires Twig 1.x, every release of which carries security advisories
bludit	Bludit 3.22.0	Apache + mod_php / nginx + php-fpm	flat-file	yes (native)	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
postfixadmin	PostfixAdmin 4.0.5	Apache/nginx + php-fpm in front of PostfixAdmin	MariaDB	no (not tried)	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
phpsysinfo	phpSysInfo 3.4.7	Apache/nginx + PHP	none	yes (native)	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
phpipam	phpIPAM 1.8.3	Apache + mod_php + cron	MariaDB	—	blocked — ePHPm has no sockets extension, which phpIPAM requires (issues/phpipam.md)
xbackbone	XBackBone 3.8.2	Apache/nginx + php-fpm	SQLite	yes (native SQLite)	tested 2026-10-12, v0.11.3-php8.5
fossbilling	FOSSBilling 0.8.8	Apache/nginx + php-fpm + cron	MariaDB	—	blocked — ePHPm zlib file streams (gzopen, compress.zlib://) read nothing, so symfony/intl fails (issues/fossbilling.md)
modx	MODX Revolution 3.1.1	Apache + mod_php / nginx + fpm	MariaDB	—	blocked — ePHPm zlib streams fail (ZipArchive "Zlib error: stream error"), the installer cannot unpack its package (issues/fossbilling.md)
koel	Koel 9.15	nginx + fpm	MariaDB	—	blocked — ePHPm's GD has no JPEG/WebP (installer refuses to run)
monica	Monica 4	Apache + mod_php + cron, Redis	MariaDB	—	blocked — ePHPm's GD has no FreeType (creating a contact answers 500)

Running the smoke tests locally

bash apps/wordpress/test.sh                      # docker compose
COMPOSE="podman compose" bash apps/wordpress/test.sh
KEEP=1 bash apps/wordpress/test.sh               # leave the stack running

Each test uses the compose project name recipes-<app> and tears down its containers, volumes and built images when it finishes. lib/harness.sh has the helpers.

Conventions

• Images are pinned to a real ephpm/ephpm tag (v0.11.3-php8.5 today; EPHPM_TAG build arg). Never latest.
• Config keys are verified against ePHPm's configuration reference; unknown keys are a startup error in ePHPm, so every ephpm.toml here starts.
• Worker mode ([php] mode = "worker") is used only where the app has a supported adapter (Laravel via ephpm/octane-driver, PSR-15 apps via ephpm/psr15-worker). Everything else runs in the default per-request mode.
• Compose services are named ephpm (the app) and db; the app's CLI is reachable with docker compose exec ephpm ....