---
category: tool
name: Composer
contributors:
    - ["Brett Taylor", "https://github.com/glutnix"]
filename: LearnComposer.sh
---

[Composer](https://getcomposer.org/) is a tool for dependency management in PHP. It allows you to declare the libraries your project depends on and it will manage (install/update) them for you.

# Installing

```sh
# Installs the composer.phar binary into the current directory
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
# If you use this approach, you will need to invoke composer like this:
php composer.phar about

# Installs the binary into ~/bin/composer
# Note: make sure ~/bin is in your shell's PATH environment variable
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=~/bin --filename=composer
```

Windows users should follow the [Windows installation instructions](https://getcomposer.org/doc/00-intro.md#installation-windows)

## Confirming installation

```sh
# Check version and list options
composer

# Get more help for options
composer help require

# Check if Composer is able to do the things it needs, and if it's up to date
composer diagnose
composer diag # shorthand

# Updates the Composer binary to the latest version
composer self-update
composer self # shorthand
```

# Usage

Composer stores your project dependencies in `composer.json`. You can edit this file, but it is best to let Composer manage it for you.

```sh
# Create a new project in the current folder
composer init
# runs an interactive questionnaire asking you for details about your project.  Leaving them blank is fine unless you are making other projects dependent on this one.

# If a composer.json file already exists, download the dependencies
composer install

# To download the just the production dependencies, i.e. excluding development dependencies
composer install --no-dev

# Add a production dependency to this project
composer require guzzlehttp/guzzle
# will figure out what the latest version of guzzlehttp/guzzle is, download it, and add the new dependency to composer.json's require field.

composer require guzzlehttp/guzzle:6.0.*
# will download the latest version matching the pattern (eg. 6.0.2) and add the dependency to composer.json's require field

composer require --dev phpunit/phpunit:~4.5.0
# will require as a development dependency. Will use the latest version >=4.5.0 and < 4.6.0

composer require-dev phpunit/phpunit:^4.5.0
# will require as a development dependency. Will use the latest version >=4.5.0 and < 5.0

# For more information on Composer version matching, see [Composer's documentation on Versions](https://getcomposer.org/doc/articles/versions.md) for more details

# To see what packages are available to install and currently installed
composer show

# To see what packages are currently installed
composer show --installed

# To find a package with 'mailgun' in its name or description
composer search mailgun
```

[Packagist.org](https://packagist.org/) is the main repository for Composer packages. Search there for existing third-party packages.

## `composer.json` vs `composer.lock`

The `composer.json` file stores your project's floating version preferences for each dependency, along with other information.

The `composer.lock` file stores exactly which version it has downloaded for each dependency. Never edit this file.

If you include the `composer.lock` file in your git repository, every developer will install the currently used version of the dependency. Even when a new version of a dependency is released, Composer will continue to download the version recorded in the lock file.

```sh
# If you want to update all the dependencies to their newest version still matching your version preferences
composer update

# If you want the new version of a particular dependency:
composer update phpunit/phpunit

# If you wish to migrate a package to a newer version preference, you may need to remove the older package and its dependencies first.
composer remove --dev phpunit/phpunit
composer require --dev phpunit/phpunit:^5.0
```

## Autoloader

Composer creates an autoloader class you can require from your application. You can make instances of classes via their namespace.

```php
require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';

$mailgun = new Mailgun\Mailgun("key");
```

### PSR-4 Autoloader

You can add your own namespaces to the autoloader.

In `composer.json`, add a 'autoload' field:

```json
{
  "autoload": {
    "psr-4": {"Acme\\": "src/"}
  }
}
```

This will tell the autoloader to look for anything in the `\Acme\` namespace within the `src` folder.

You can also [use PSR-0, a Classmap or just a list of files to include](https://getcomposer.org/doc/04-schema.md#autoload). There is also the `autoload-dev` field for development-only namespaces.

When adding or modifying the autoload key, you will need to rebuild the autoloader:

```sh
composer dump-autoload
composer dump # shorthand

# Optimizes PSR0 and PSR4 packages to be loaded with classmaps too. Slow to run, but improves performance on production.
composer dump-autoload --optimize --no-dev
```

# Composer's Cache

```sh
# Composer will retain downloaded packages to use in the future. Clear it with:
composer clear-cache
```

# Troubleshooting

```sh
composer diagnose
composer self-update
composer clear-cache
```

## Topics not (yet) covered in this tutorial

* Creating and distributing your own packages on Packagist.org or elsewhere
* Pre- and post- script hooks: run tasks when certain composer events take place

### References

* [Composer - Dependency Manager for PHP](https://getcomposer.org/)
* [Packagist.org](https://packagist.org/)