Meet BrewAMP v0.7.1

Your Mac.
Your stack.

Local PHP development, brewed your way.

Choose your PHP, MariaDB and web server versions. Run your projects side by side. All in one native Mac app.

Free to use. Made for Apple Silicon.

⌘Feels right at home.
Real app. Less setup.SwiftUI · Apple Silicon
A familiar stack.
A better way to run it.
PHP / MariaDB / nginx / Apache / phpMyAdmin

ONE APP. DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS.

The new project.
The legacy one.
Both at once.

Your next build and yesterday’s client site don’t need the same setup. Give each environment its own name, versions and ports — then run them in parallel.

Make room for your next project
One Mac. Two independent setups.Example
S

Studio

Running
PHP
8.4
MariaDB
11.4
Server
nginx
127.0.0.1:8080DB :13307
L

Legacy

Running
PHP
8.3
MariaDB
10.11
Server
Apache
127.0.0.1:8081DB :13308

Different processes, ports and data. Shared Homebrew packages.

Pick your versions.

Choose from the versions available in Homebrew. A download icon shows what’s missing; BrewAMP installs it when you’re ready.

Bring your projects.

Use your existing web folder or copy a project into a new environment. The import assistant adds a database with your chosen name and an optional SQL export.

Your databases. Your rules.

Create databases and users, change passwords and choose access per database — right in the app. For advanced tools, enable phpMyAdmin with one checkbox.

LESS CONFIGURING. MORE CREATING.

Your next stack starts here.

A small Mac app.
Your familiar Homebrew tools.

BrewAMP app icon

BrewAMP 0.7.1

Native macOS app for Apple Silicon.

Download .dmg 6.0 MBDeveloper ID signed & Apple notarizedSHA-256 checksum
  1. Have Homebrew ready.

    BrewAMP uses your Homebrew installation to get the server packages. New to brew? Get Homebrew

  2. Make yourself at home.

    Open the downloaded DMG, drag BrewAMP into Applications and launch it.

  3. Pick. Install. Start.

    Create an environment, choose your versions, click Install packages, then Start. Your local site is ready.

Apple Silicon only · Homebrew required · macOS 15+ recommended · English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano

A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS

Before you
start brewing.

A little context for your first launch.

Is BrewAMP really free?

Yes. BrewAMP is free to use and licensed under the MIT license. All features are available without payment. If it makes your day easier, you can support development with an optional contribution.

Which Macs are supported?

BrewAMP is built for Apple Silicon (M-series Macs), with no Intel build. The app requires macOS 14 or later; macOS 15 or later is recommended for the currently supported Homebrew setup. Homebrew must be installed at /opt/homebrew.

Can I run different PHP and MariaDB versions at once?

Yes. Each environment runs its own web server, PHP-FPM and MariaDB processes on separate ports. Choose the version series Homebrew currently offers. When changing the MariaDB series, BrewAMP uses a separate data directory; it does not migrate databases between versions.

Can I test my site over HTTPS?

Yes. Enable local HTTPS when creating an environment, or enable it later while the environment is stopped. BrewAMP creates a separate, self-signed certificate for localhost and 127.0.0.1, with its own HTTPS port. HTTP stays available, and phpMyAdmin can use HTTPS too. The app shows the certificate details and renewal controls. Trusting the certificate on your Mac is an optional, separate step; BrewAMP never changes Keychain trust automatically.

Does BrewAMP run containers?

BrewAMP runs the native programs installed by Homebrew. Environments have separate processes, configuration and data, while Homebrew packages and their libraries are shared. Versions follow Homebrew’s available packages rather than frozen container images.

Can I bring an existing project and database?

Yes. Choose Import project…, select your project folder, then use it in place or copy it into BrewAMP. Choose a database name and optionally import one uncompressed, single-database SQL export up to 512 MB. An optional public subdirectory supports projects with a public webroot. Source files stay unchanged; update your application’s database credentials and URLs yourself. This is a SQL-export workflow, not an automatic MAMP/XAMPP conversion or MariaDB version upgrade.

Can I manage databases and users without phpMyAdmin?

Yes. Start the environment and open Databases. Create additional databases and local users, change custom-user passwords, and select read-only, read/write or schema-admin access per database. Removing a custom user keeps the database contents. System accounts and advanced privileges stay protected; phpMyAdmin remains available for advanced administration.

What happens when I close the app or delete an environment?

Quitting BrewAMP stops the services it started. Deleting an environment asks for confirmation and moves its managed project files, databases, configuration and logs to the macOS Trash. An existing external web folder is kept. Other environments and shared Homebrew packages stay in place.

How do I keep BrewAMP up to date?

BrewAMP checks for a newer published release when it starts, at most once a day. You can disable automatic checks in Settings or choose Check for Updates… at any time. A small banner opens the download link and Homebrew upgrade instructions. Updates are installed only when you choose; quit BrewAMP before replacing the app or running an upgrade.

Is this for production hosting?

BrewAMP is designed for local development. Its services bind to 127.0.0.1, so your sites and databases are available on your own Mac. Local HTTPS uses self-signed development certificates. Custom local domains and automatic database migrations are not included yet.

FREE SOFTWARE. FUELED BY YOU.

Enjoy your brew?
Keep it going.

BrewAMP stays free. If it saves you a few setup headaches, a small contribution helps support its development.

Support BrewAMP

PayPal · Your amount · One-time

Entirely optional. Every feature stays free.

A closer look at BrewAMP

BrewAMP 0.7.1 app with Studio and Legacy, separate version selectors, ports and optional phpMyAdmin.

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