Development Server

One of the first CLI commands most developers use in the Quantum PHP Framework is the development server command.

It gives you a fast way to run the project locally and verify that your installation works.

Starting the server

The basic command is:

php qt serve

This starts the local development server for your application.

Once the server starts, Quantum will show the local address where the app is available.

Open that address in your browser to test the project.

This command is important for more than just convenience.

It confirms several pieces of your environment at once:

That makes it one of the fastest health checks for a new project.

A normal workflow looks like this:

This is usually the first real proof that the framework is running correctly.

Use the development server during normal local development, especially when you are:

It is the fastest feedback loop for day-to-day work.

The built-in development command removes a lot of early friction.

Instead of forcing a full production-style stack immediately, it gives a simple entry point:

That is a much smoother onboarding path.

If you are not inside the correct project folder, the command may fail or behave unexpectedly.

If dependencies or setup steps are missing, the app may not boot correctly.

This command is for local development. Production deployment should use a proper web server setup.

Once you can run the development server successfully, the next good questions are:

That is why the development server belongs near the beginning of the docs journey.