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Run Ubiquity on Docker

What is Ubiquity?​

Ubiquity is a PHP MVC framework built around speed and a heavy code-generation devtools CLI: it can scaffold controllers, models, views and CRUD screens for you, and ships a browser-based admin ("webtools") alongside it. It supports several database engines through its ORM, most commonly MySQL and PostgreSQL over PDO, but also Mysqli, MongoDB and others. A Ubiquity app needs a web server, a PHP runtime, and a real database.

Why run Ubiquity in Docker?​

Docker packages a web server, PHP-FPM and a database into isolated containers that run the same on every machine. Instead of installing PHP and a database onto your laptop, where versions collide between projects and "works on my machine" starts, you run disposable containers that mirror production and vanish cleanly when you delete them. One project can run PHP 8.3 while another runs 7.4, on the same computer, with nothing installed globally.

The catch: wiring those containers together yourself (base images, PHP extensions, networking, permissions) is a week of fiddly Docker work. That is exactly what Laradock removes.

Why Laradock is the best fit for Ubiquity​

Ubiquity has no official Docker image or first-party dev environment of its own, so a ready-made, no-lock-in environment matters even more. Here is why Laradock is the best fit:

  • You are never locked into one ecosystem. Laradock is framework-agnostic. Run Ubiquity today, and put a Laravel API or a WordPress site beside it tomorrow, all in the same environment with the same commands.
  • Far more flexibility. 100+ ready services and any PHP version from 5.6 to 8.5, versus configuring a database and web server by hand for every new Ubiquity project.
  • Nothing is hidden and you own everything. No generated files, no magic, no wrapper binary between you and Docker. Every Dockerfile and compose file is right there for you to read and edit.
  • Nothing new to learn. What you use is plain docker compose, knowledge that transfers straight to production. Our CLI is an optional nicety, never a requirement.

For Ubiquity specifically, Laradock gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/PostgreSQL already wired, and a workspace container with Composer and git installed so its devtools CLI works the same as it would natively.

Run Ubiquity on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

cd my-ubiquity-app
git clone https://github.com/laradock/laradock.git
cd laradock && cp .env.example .env

(No Ubiquity project yet? Clone Laradock first, then create one from the workspace container in the next steps.)

2. Pick the services your app needs​

A Ubiquity app needs a web server and a database (the web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically):

docker compose up -d nginx mysql workspace

Prefer PostgreSQL? Swap the name: docker compose up -d nginx postgres workspace. The full catalog is here.

3. Point Ubiquity at the containers​

Ubiquity's database connection lives in app/config/config.php; point serverName at the service name:

"database" => [
    "type"       => "mysql",
    "dbName"     => "default",
    "serverName" => "mysql",
    "port"       => 3306,
    "user"       => "default",
    "password"   => "secret",
    "cache"      => false,
],

The default database, user and password live in Laradock's mysql/defaults.env; override any of them by adding the line to Laradock's .env (it always wins).

4. Run your app from the workspace​

Enter the shell where Composer, git and the Ubiquity devtools live:

docker compose exec workspace bash
composer create-project phpmv/ubiquity-project .   # only if you have no project yet
composer install

Then open http://localhost. That is a full Ubiquity app running on Docker.

Change the PHP version anytime​

This is where a native install hurts and Laradock shines. Set the version in Laradock's .env and rebuild:

PHP_VERSION=8.2
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

Ubiquity requires PHP 7.4 or newer, and Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so an older Ubiquity project and a brand-new one run side by side, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP or Composer to run Ubiquity with Laradock?​

No. Everything lives inside the containers. Composer and git are in the workspace container; you never install PHP on your host.

Which services should I start for a typical Ubiquity app?​

nginx mysql workspace covers most apps. Swap mysql for postgres if the project uses PostgreSQL instead.

Can I run multiple Ubiquity apps on different PHP versions?​

Yes. Give each its own Laradock with a unique COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME and DATA_PATH_HOST, set a different PHP_VERSION in each, and they run independently on the same machine.

Does this work the same on macOS, Windows and Linux?​

Yes. Laradock runs anywhere Docker runs. On macOS/Windows, file-sync speed depends on Docker Desktop (VirtioFS helps a lot); it is a Docker Desktop trait, not specific to Laradock.

Is this the same Docker setup I would use in production?​

The containers are production-style (real NGINX + PHP-FPM), so it is far closer to production than a native install. See Prepare Laradock for Production for the hardening steps.

Comparing environments? See the full Laradock vs Others breakdown. Ready to start? Getting Started takes about five minutes.