DevDock
Download

How to use DevDock

Install DevDock, start the services you need, configure them, and troubleshoot common issues.

Install

  1. Download the latest installer from the DevDock download page.
  2. Run the installer.
  3. Launch DevDock from your desktop or Start menu.

First launch

DevDock keeps your local environment in a single folder so it stays easy to find:

  • Main folder: C:\DevDock

Inside that folder you will find service files, logs, and configuration files.

Start your local site

1. Put your files in the web root

Copy your site files into:

  • C:\DevDock\nginx\html\

If you have a homepage, name it index.html or index.php.

2. Start the services you need

A common start order:

  1. MySQL (only if your project needs a database)
  2. PHP (only if your site uses PHP)
  3. NGINX
  4. Optional: Mailpit, phpMyAdmin, FTP

3. Open your site

Click Open on the web service in DevDock, or open http://localhost/ in your browser.

What each service is for

NGINX

  • What it does: Serves your local site at http://localhost/.
  • When to run it: When you want to view your project in a browser.
  • What to know: Your site files live in C:\DevDock\nginx\html\.

PHP

  • What it does: Lets .php pages run.
  • When to run it: Only when your project needs PHP.
  • What to know: If PHP is not running, PHP pages will not work.

MySQL

  • What it does: Provides a local database.
  • When to run it: Only when your project needs MySQL.
  • What to know: Start MySQL before using phpMyAdmin.

phpMyAdmin

  • What it does: Web based database manager for MySQL.
  • When to run it: When you need to create databases, browse tables, import SQL, or run queries.
  • What to know: If it cannot connect, start MySQL first.

Mailpit

  • What it does: Captures emails locally so you can test mail without sending real messages.
  • When to run it: When your app sends emails and you want to test locally.
  • What to know: Configure your app to send SMTP mail to Mailpit while testing.

FTP

  • What it does: A local FTP server for testing uploads and integrations.
  • When to run it: Only if your project needs FTP.

Configuration guide

Where configs live

Most configuration files are inside C:\DevDock. You can open them from DevDock using each service’s Config button.

Typical locations include:

  • Web root: C:\DevDock\nginx\html\
  • Logs: C:\DevDock\logs\
  • Service specific configs inside each service folder

Safe workflow for changes

  1. Open the service Config.
  2. Make one change at a time.
  3. Save.
  4. Restart the service if DevDock prompts you, or if behavior does not change.
  5. If something breaks, undo the last change and restart again.

Usage examples

Example: static website

  1. Copy your site into C:\DevDock\nginx\html\.
  2. Start NGINX.
  3. Open http://localhost/.

Example: PHP website

  1. Copy your site into C:\DevDock\nginx\html\.
  2. Start PHP.
  3. Start NGINX.
  4. Open http://localhost/.

Example: app with database

  1. Start MySQL.
  2. Start your web service.
  3. Optional: start phpMyAdmin to manage the database.

Troubleshooting

My site does not load

  • Confirm the web service is running.
  • Confirm you have an index.html or index.php in the web root.
  • Open logs for the web service and look for the first error.

A service will not start

  • Look for a message in DevDock about what failed.
  • Check logs for that service.
  • Common causes include a port conflict or a config change that introduced an error.

phpMyAdmin cannot connect

  • Start MySQL first.
  • Restart phpMyAdmin after MySQL is running.

Getting help

When asking for support, include:

  • Which service you started
  • What you expected to happen
  • What you saw instead
  • A screenshot of the error and the relevant log output