Flock: Free Native Herd Alternative for Laravel | Mohamed Said [Skip to content](#main) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01KT78WE565VEMM3PSNQAAB0MH.png) Mohamed SaidLaravel Backend Engineer ](https://www.msaied.com) - [Home](https://www.msaied.com) - [Projects](https://www.msaied.com/projects) - [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/articles) - [Certificates](https://www.msaied.com/certificates) - [About](https://www.msaied.com#about) [ Contact](https://www.msaied.com#contact) Menu Menu ---- Close - [HomeStart here](https://www.msaied.com) - [ProjectsCase studies](https://www.msaied.com/projects) - [ArticlesEngineering notes](https://www.msaied.com/articles) - [CertificatesCredentials](https://www.msaied.com/certificates) - [AboutHow I work](https://www.msaied.com#about) - [ContactGet in touch](https://www.msaied.com#contact) [Start a conversation](https://www.msaied.com#contact) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/201094619204) [Email](mailto:hello@msaied.com) 1. [Home](https://www.msaied.com) 2. / 3. [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/articles) 4. / 5. [Laravel](https://www.msaied.com/articles?category=laravel) 6. / 7. Flock: A Free, Native Laravel Herd Alternative for macOS, Windows, and Linux [Laravel](https://www.msaied.com/articles?category=laravel) [Open Source](https://www.msaied.com/articles?category=open-source) Flock: A Free, Native Laravel Herd Alternative for macOS, Windows, and Linux ============================================================================= Flock 1.0.0 is a free, open-source local development app for Laravel and PHP that runs native processes on macOS, Windows, and Linux — no Docker required. It includes databases, mail catching, and a dump viewer at no cost. ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp) [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com#person) Published 3 Nov 2026 · Updated 5 Nov 2026 · 4 min read ShareCopy linkCopied ![Flock: A Free, Native Laravel Herd Alternative for macOS, Windows, and Linux](https://cdn.msaied.com/816/a5801f7786d2c70f010c322468e7d2b0.png) On this page +1. [What Is Flock?](#what-is-flock) 2. [Quick Start](#quick-start) 3. [Databases and Services](#databases-and-services) 4. [Mail Catcher, Dumps, and Xdebug](#mail-catcher-dumps-and-xdebug) 5. [Worktrees, Sharing, and MCP](#worktrees-sharing-and-mcp) 6. [Flock vs. Herd: Key Differences](#flock-vs-herd-key-differences) 7. [Platform Requirements](#platform-requirements) 8. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways) What Is Flock? -------------- [Flock](https://flockphp.com/) 1.0.0, released by Lukas Frey and the team at Guava, is a free and open-source local development application for Laravel and other PHP projects. It runs PHP, Node.js, databases, and a web server as **native processes** — no Docker, no virtual machine. It is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and requires no account to use. Flock targets the same audience as [Laravel Herd](https://laravel-news.com/laravel-herd) but differentiates itself in two important ways: everything is free (including databases, the mail catcher, and the dump viewer), and it runs on **Linux** as well as macOS and Windows. Quick Start ----------- Getting a new Laravel app running over HTTPS with a PostgreSQL database takes just a handful of commands: ```bash cd ~/Code composer create-project laravel/laravel myapp flock park # serve every folder in ~/Code at .test flock secure myapp # enable HTTPS for myapp.test cd myapp flock pin php 8.5 # pin PHP version; saved in .flockrc flock services install postgres flock services create-db postgres myapp ``` Open `https://myapp.test` and you will not see a certificate warning. The CLI also accepts the shorter alias `flk`. Flock supports PHP 8.1 through 8.5 installed side by side. It reads each project's Node.js version from `.nvmrc` or `.node-version` automatically. It also serves Laravel Octane, FrankenPHP, Symfony, WordPress, and Drupal projects. Databases and Services ---------------------- The following services run on all three platforms: - **Databases:** PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB - **Search:** Meilisearch (all platforms), Typesense (macOS and Linux) - **Cache/queue:** Valkey (all platforms), Redis (macOS only) - **Storage:** RustFS Multiple versions of each service can be installed simultaneously. For PostgreSQL, extensions such as PostGIS, pgvector, and TimescaleDB are available per version from either the app UI or the CLI. Mail Catcher, Dumps, and Xdebug ------------------------------- Flock provides a **per-app mail inbox**. Copy the mail settings from Flock's Mail window into your `.env` file and outgoing mail is intercepted automatically. Output from `dump()` and `dd()` is routed to Flock's Dumps window rather than the browser. Each entry is grouped by request alongside queries, log entries, rendered views, and queued jobs. Clicking an entry opens the relevant file in your editor. Flock collects this data via an OpenTelemetry agent, so no additional package is needed in your application. Xdebug is disabled by default to avoid slowing every request. Enable it selectively: ```bash flock xdebug on # debug requests with an Xdebug trigger flock xdebug breakpoints on # debug every request while breakpoints are set flock debug artisan migrate # debug a single Artisan command ``` Worktrees, Sharing, and MCP --------------------------- Flock serves each git worktree of a site at `..test`. When a new worktree is created, Flock installs dependencies and generates a `.env` file with a fresh app key. You choose whether the worktree shares the main database, copies it, or starts empty. `flock share` exposes a site via a Cloudflare tunnel. The `--allow` flag restricts access to a specific email address. Flock also ships an **MCP server**, letting AI agents such as Claude Code and Cursor read your sites, caught mail, dumps, and errors. `flock boost` injects Flock's guidelines into your project's Laravel Boost configuration. Flock vs. Herd: Key Differences ------------------------------- | Feature | Flock | Herd | |---|---|---| | Price | Free (AGPL-3.0) | Free tier + paid Pro | | Linux support | Yes | No | | Databases | Free | Pro license required | | Mail catcher | Free | Pro license required | | Minimum PHP | 8.1 | 7.4 | | Sharing | Cloudflare tunnel | Expose | Herd supports PHP 7.4 and above, so if your project requires a PHP version older than 8.1, Flock is not an option. Platform Requirements --------------------- - **macOS:** 15 Sequoia or newer, Apple silicon only - **Windows:** 10 (version 2004) or 11, x64 - **Linux:** Ubuntu 24.04+, Fedora (x64/arm64, systemd-resolved required); Arch users can install `flockphp-bin` from the AUR Flock requires ports 80 and 443. Stop Herd, Valet, or any other tool using those ports before installing. Key Takeaways ------------- - Flock is free, open-source, and runs native processes — no Docker or VM overhead. - Databases, mail catcher, and dump viewer are included at no cost. - Linux support sets it apart from Laravel Herd. - PHP 8.1 is the minimum; projects on older versions must use another tool. - An MCP server enables AI coding assistants to inspect your local environment. Download Flock from [flockphp.com/download](https://flockphp.com/download) or view the source on [GitHub](https://github.com/flock-php/flock). --- *Source: [Laravel News — Flock: A Free, Native Herd Alternative for Laravel](https://laravel-news.com/flock-laravel-local-development)* - [local-development](https://www.msaied.com/articles?search=local-development) - [laravel-herd](https://www.msaied.com/articles?search=laravel-herd) - [open-source](https://www.msaied.com/articles?search=open-source) - [developer-tools](https://www.msaied.com/articles?search=developer-tools) - [php](https://www.msaied.com/articles?search=php) Frequently asked questions --------------------------- Does Flock work on Linux?Yes. Flock runs on Ubuntu 24.04+, Fedora (x64 and arm64), and Arch Linux via the AUR package `flockphp-bin`. It requires systemd-resolved. Laravel Herd, by contrast, does not support Linux. Is Flock really free, or are some features locked behind a paid plan?Flock is entirely free and licensed under AGPL-3.0. Databases, the mail catcher, and the dump viewer are all included at no cost and require no account. This contrasts with Laravel Herd, where those features require a Pro license. Can I run multiple PHP versions with Flock?Yes. Flock supports PHP 8.1 through 8.5 installed side by side. You pin a specific version per project with `flock pin php <version>`, which saves the setting in a `.flockrc` file in the project root. ![Mohamed Said](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp)About the author ---------------- [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com#person)Senior Backend Engineer specializing in Laravel, scalable SaaS platforms, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. I build secure, high-performance web applications that help businesses grow. [About](https://www.msaied.com#about) [GitHub ↗](https://github.com/EG-Mohamed) [LinkedIn ↗](https://www.linkedin.com/in/msaiedm/) [WhatsApp ↗](https://wa.me/201094619204) [Email Address ↗](mailto:hello@msaied.com) [My CV ↗](https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1MF20IPRJyzfy32mhEutjL5EpSls0w2Q8/view) [Previous articleLaravel Email Testing and Sending in One Account with Maileroo](https://www.msaied.com/articles/laravel-email-testing-and-sending-in-one-account-with-maileroo) On this page ------------- 1. [What Is Flock?](#what-is-flock) 2. [Quick Start](#quick-start) 3. [Databases and Services](#databases-and-services) 4. [Mail Catcher, Dumps, and Xdebug](#mail-catcher-dumps-and-xdebug) 5. [Worktrees, Sharing, and MCP](#worktrees-sharing-and-mcp) 6. [Flock vs. Herd: Key Differences](#flock-vs-herd-key-differences) 7. [Platform Requirements](#platform-requirements) 8. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways) ### Have a technical challenge? Tell me what you’re building. 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