Composer

ApplicationNils Adermann / Jordi Boggiano

Dem still dey call am php composer, composer.phar

Nils Adermann / Jordi BoggianoProductivity

Di PHP dependency manager. For Windows di command na composer.exe. No bi npm.

Wetin you need know

Composer na di PHP manager. npm na di Node manager.

composer.exe dey install PHP packages from Packagist. npm dey come with Node.js and e dey read package.json. XAMPP fit provide PHP. E no dey replace Composer.

Wetin e be?: PHP dependency manager
Di same as npm?: No. npm na for Node
You need PHP?: Yes. composer dey call php.exe

Feex tok say

If dem no recognize composer, I go install am from getcomposer.org and check php -v. I no go repair Node.js to fix PHP lockfile.

Wetin bi Composer?

Composer na di PHP dependency manager. composer.exe na di Windows command. No bi npm, no bi PEAR as modern default, and no bi XAMPP by imself.

If you never use am before

If PHP README talk say make you install Composer, get di Windows installer from getcomposer.org/download. composer.exe dey read composer.json and e dey talk to Packagist. npm na di Node.js package manager. You need PHP for PATH. Composer no go install Node modules.

Wetin dem dey use am for?

Install PHP packages

composer install. npm install na di JavaScript mate, no bi dis command.

Lockfiles

composer.lock. package-lock.json na npm file.

Global PHP tools

composer global require. Dat one na still PHP. E no go add node.exe.

Na who e dey for?

PHP developers wey dia repo get composer.json
Students wey dey use Laravel abi Symfony
Anybody wey run npm inside PHP project con dey wonder why vendor/ dey empty

Current status

Composer (2012) na current php package manager from Nils Adermann / Jordi Boggiano. Di vendor still dey point Windows users go https://getcomposer.org/download/.

How old e be?

Nils Adermann and Jordi Boggiano release Composer for 2012, di same time wey npm begin blow. Current 2.x Windows builds na di product. Tutorial wey bi only 1.x fit miss Composer 2 lockfile rules.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers no dey all verified here.

Composer 2

System requirements

Values dey follow wetin di publisher release publicly. Workload still dey change di real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Current 64-bit Windows 10 abi Windows 11 release, plus supported PHP, according to getcomposer.org
RAM	Di client small. Large vendor trees need disk space

Resource profile

CPU demand: Dey follow wetin you open inside di app
RAM demand: Dey follow documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

Dese executables belong to dis product when e dey installed.

Installed processes
composer.exe	Composer Windows command

Startup components

composer.exe no dey start with Windows. You dey run am inside project folder.

File locations

Common Composer locations
Typical install	C:\ProgramData\ComposerSetup\bin\

File formats

composer.jsoncomposer.lock

Common wahala dem

PHP dey miss from PATH

Composer need php.exe. XAMPP abi PHP zip fit provide am. node.exe no go run composer.json.

openssl abi missing extensions

Windows PHP builds need di extensions wey Composer document. Dat one no bi npm optional dependency.

How to get unstuck

Install from getcomposer.org/download

Di project host Composer-Setup.exe. Any Composer pack for freeware site na useless thing.

php -v then composer -V

Both of dem must work. where.exe npm na different toolchain.

Delete vendor and run composer install again if di lock file dey okay

No delete node_modules make you take fix PHP autoload error.

Alternatives

npm if di project na JavaScript. PEAR na di older PHP channel. XAMPP if you still need local PHP binary.

Official help and downloads

Start with di vendor. Random exe sites no be support channel.

Official contacts
Download	getcomposer.org/download/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	getcomposer.org/doc/ Vendor support
Official site	getcomposer.org/ Start here, no be random exe host
Composer docs	getcomposer.org/doc/ require, install, and Windows notes

Related hardware

Di client light. vendor/ need disk space. GPU no matter at all.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers dey change. Dis article no pin down any build.

Sources and verification

Recorded source label: August 2026. Dis label no establish independent verification. How we dey do research.

Composer official site · Vendor product page
Composer help · Vendor support
Composer documentation · Official getcomposer.org docs
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on top Windows PCs. No be lab benchmark.

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