Installing Shopware 6 on a local machine allows developers to work efficiently on their e-commerce projects without relying on an external server. A local environment is particularly ideal for testing, customizing, and extending functionality, as it provides flexibility and control. This guide will walk you through the steps to install Shopware 6 locally using MAMP—one of the most popular tools for managing local web servers on macOS.
What is Shopware 6 and Why Is It Worth Developing Locally?
Shopware 6 is a powerful and flexible e-commerce platform suitable for small to large online stores. It features a modular architecture, a modern API-first philosophy, and extensive customization options. As a developer, working locally with Shopware 6 allows you to test your own plugins, adjust the design, or make deep code changes without depending on a live server.
Overview of MAMP: Features and Benefits for Local Development
MAMP stands for “Macintosh, Apache, MySQL, and PHP” and is free software that enables you to create a local development environment on a Mac. MAMP is easy to install and provides integrated management for Apache (or Nginx), MySQL, and PHP. Using such a local development environment offers the advantage of immediate visibility of changes and eliminates the need for an internet connection. Additionally, it minimizes the risk of accidentally making changes on a live server.
Prerequisites for Installation
Before we begin installing Shopware 6 and MAMP, there are some basic prerequisites to address. It’s important to ensure that your Mac meets the necessary system requirements and that the required software is installed.
System Requirements for Shopware 6
To run Shopware 6 locally, certain system requirements must be met:
- Operating System: macOS (latest version recommended)
- Processor: 64-bit architecture
- RAM: At least 4 GB, 8 GB or more recommended
- Disk Space: At least 10 GB of available storage
- PHP Version: PHP 7.4 or higher
- MySQL: Version 5.7 or higher
Preparing for MAMP Use
Before starting the installation, some preparations need to be made. This includes downloading and installing MAMP, as well as setting up additional tools required for developing with Shopware 6.
Downloading and Installing MAMP
MAMP can be downloaded directly from the official MAMP website. The installation is straightforward and requires just a few clicks. Once installed, you can launch MAMP via the Launchpad.
Required Software and Tools: PHP, MySQL, Composer
In addition to MAMP, we need some additional tools to fully utilize Shopware 6:
- PHP: Although MAMP includes PHP, it’s important to ensure that the version is compatible with Shopware 6 requirements.
- MySQL: MAMP also includes MySQL, which is necessary for managing the database.
- Composer: Composer is a dependency manager for PHP and is needed to install Shopware 6 and its components. You can install Composer via the Terminal app on your Mac using the following command:
brew install composer
Setting Up MAMP
After installing all required tools, we can set up MAMP. This involves configuring a new virtual host and creating a database.
Creating and Configuring a New Virtual Host for Shopware 6
A virtual host allows you to run Shopware 6 locally under its own domain (e.g., shopware.local), making development and testing easier. Follow these steps:
- Open MAMP settings and switch to the “Servers” tab.
- Select the Apache web server and ensure MySQL is enabled.
- Go to “Hosts” and add a new virtual host.
- Enter a local domain name, such as shopware.local, and specify the path where Shopware will be installed (e.g., /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/shopware6).
- Save the settings and restart MAMP.
Creating a Database in MAMP
Once the virtual host is set up, you need to create a new MySQL database. Open MAMP and go to phpMyAdmin:
- Log in to phpMyAdmin (default user: root, default password: root).
- Create a new database named shopware6.
- Ensure the collation is set to utf8mb4_unicode_ci to properly support special characters.
Downloading and Preparing Shopware 6
To install Shopware 6, we need to clone the latest repository from GitHub and install the necessary packages using Composer.
Cloning Shopware 6 via Git
Open Terminal and clone the Shopware 6 repository into the directory you specified for the virtual host:
git clone https://github.com/shopware/platform.git /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/shopware6
Installing Packages with Composer
Navigate to the Shopware 6 directory and run the following command to install all necessary dependencies:
composer install
This process may take a few minutes as Composer downloads and installs all required packages.
Common Installation Issues and Their Solutions
Several issues may arise during the installation of Shopware 6. Here are some common errors and their solutions:
- Composer Package Installation Errors If you encounter errors during Composer installation, check if all system requirements are met. The PHP version can often be a cause. Update PHP if necessary or ensure Composer is pointing to the correct PHP version.
- File Permission Issues If you experience file permission issues, check the directory rights where Shopware 6 is installed. Set the rights for the web server user correctly using the following command:
sudo chown -R _www:_www /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/shopware6
- Error: “mac cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” This error frequently occurs on macOS when installing software from unverified developers. To resolve this, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General and click “Open Anyway” when the warning message appears.
Locally installing Shopware 6 with MAMP is an ideal solution for developers who want to develop and test their projects in a controlled environment. With proper configuration of MAMP, virtual hosts, and the database, as well as the installation of necessary tools, local development is set up for success. Using Composer and Git makes it easy to keep Shopware 6 up-to-date and create a development environment that offers maximum flexibility and control.
