Configuration

All application configurations are stored in the config directory. YAML is used as the default configuration file format, but you can also use PHP, INI, JSON, XML, and NEON files. This flexibility is possible because the ZAPHYR framework utilizes the Config repository to load the configuration files.

• Environment variables
• Configuration variables
  • Configuration file replacers
  • Retrieving configuration values in your application
  • Cache configuration

#Environment variables

While developing applications, it is common to have different configurations for various environments. For instance, you might use distinct database credentials for your development and production environments. To manage this, ZAPHYR supports environment variables, utilizing the PHP dotenv package.

Every new ZAPHYR skeleton application includes a .env.dist file in the root directory. During the installation via Composer, this file is copied to create a .env file.

The .env file contains several essential environment variables needed to run the application. You are encouraged to modify this file to meet your specific requirements.

Let's take a closer look at the .env file and its contents. Right after installation, the file typically looks like this:

APP_NAME=ZAPHYR
APP_URL=
APP_ENV=development
APP_DEBUG=true
APP_KEY=
APP_CIPHER=AES-256-CBC

The APP_NAME and APP_URL variables

These variables are used to set the application's name and base URL. While not directly used by the framework, they can be useful for displaying the application name in the user interface or for generating links within the application.

The APP_ENV variable

This variable sets the application's environment. It determines the environment in which the application is running, such as development, testing, or production.

The APP_DEBUG variable

This variable enables or disables the application's debug mode. When set to true, the application displays detailed error messages, which is useful during development. However, it is recommended to set this value to false in production to avoid exposing sensitive information.

The APP_KEY variable

This variable sets the application's encryption key, which is crucial for encrypting and decrypting data within the application. During the installation process, a random key is generated and stored in the .env file.

The APP_CIPHER variable

This variable sets the application's encryption cipher. By default, ZAPHYR uses the AES-256-CBC cipher, but you can also change it to AES-128-CBC.

#Configuration variables

The config directory contains all the configuration files for the application. Each file is named according to the configuration section it represents. Configuration files are loaded using the Config repository, allowing you to access settings from anywhere in your application.

Every ZAPHYR application includes a default configuration file named app.yaml, which provides a well-structured starting point. While the default settings are optimized for general use, you can modify them to better fit your specific needs.

#Configuration file replacers

To set dynamic configuration values, you can use the %env% replacer in your configuration files. This allows you to reference environment variables directly. For example, to set the application name from the APP_NAME environment variable, use the following configuration:

name: '%env:APP_NAME%'

In addition to %env%, the framework also provides a %path% replacer, which dynamically references paths within the application. It is recommended to use this replacer when defining paths in your configuration files to ensure paths remain correct across different environments.

templates: '%path:resources%/views'

#Retrieving configuration values in your application

You can access configuration values from anywhere in your application using the Config repository. It provides a simple and convenient way to retrieve settings:

$container->get(Zaphyr\Config\Contracts\ConfigInterface::class)->get('app.name');

#Cache configuration

Caching your application's configuration files can significantly improve performance by reducing the number of files loaded on each request, resulting in faster response times. To cache your configuration files, run the following command:

php bin/zaphyr config:cache

If you need to clear the configuration cache, use:

php bin/zaphyr config:clear