lerd-env/lerd: README-based editorial guide

lerd-env/lerd describes itself in the README as "Open-source, Herd-like local PHP development environment for Linux and macOS. Automatic .test domains, per-project PHP/Node isolation, one-command TLS. Podman-native, rootless.". This article keeps to facts that can be checked in the repository. Stars, forks, and promotional badges are signals of attention, not proof of quality. Under "Lerd", the README says: > Open-source Herd-like local PHP development environment for Linux and macOS, > with Windows supported via WSL2 (beta). Podman-native, rootless, with a > built-in Web UI.. That establishes the project's stated boundary, not a production test.

The README's "Sites, domains and TLS" section gives a useful starting point for deciding whether the project fits: 🔗 Site groups. Group related sites so a main site owns a base domain and the rest occupy its subdomains, with a shared or separate database per secondary.. If that problem is not yours, popularity is a poor reason to adopt it. Project names, commands, and component names are kept as written so a reader can return to the primary source without guessing at terminology. Another checkable README item is: 🌐 Automatic .test domains. One command gives a project a hostname and TLS that reissues before it expires, with no dnsmasq, no system resolver tweak and no sudo for the DNS bits.. It can shape a first test, but it does not replace testing in the intended environment.

The operating model is spread across sections such as "Built for Linux PHP developers". The source evidence includes: Lerd is built for PHP developers on Linux who want frictionless local development: automatic .test domains, per-project PHP versions, one-click HTTPS, zero Docker.. This article does not turn missing architecture, performance, or security details into claims. A real deployment still needs a look at the repository layout, configuration files, and release history.

Start installation from the README's documented entry point. A command that can be checked in the source is: You: set up the project I just cloned AI: → site(action: "link") → exec(action: "composer", args: ["install"]) → env(action: "setup") # detects MySQL + Redis, starts them, creates DB, generates APP_KEY → framework(action: "setup") # storage:link + migrate for Laravel, doctrine:migrations:migrate for Symfony ✓ myapp → https://myapp.test ready When the README contains no runnable command, this article does not invent one. Open its "Built for Linux PHP developers" section and confirm system dependencies, default ports, and first-run initialization before using a public server.