php-qml/README.md

# php-qml

A framework for native desktop applications with a **Symfony / FrankenPHP** backend and a **Qt / QML** frontend, packaged as a single distributable per OS.

> **Status:** Phase 5 / pre-v0.1.0. Phases 0–4a are merged (working framework, real POC, Linux AppImage, auto-update, release CI). macOS and Windows packaging are deferred to 4b/4c. See [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md).

---

## What it is

php-qml lets a PHP developer write a desktop app using ordinary Symfony on the backend and ordinary QML on the frontend. The two halves run as a **process pair** inside one bundled binary:

- A Qt/QML host owns the window, input, and rendering.
- A bundled FrankenPHP child runs a Symfony app in worker mode.
- They communicate over a local socket — HTTP for commands and queries, Mercure SSE for state push.

It is **not** a PHP↔Qt language binding — the languages run in separate processes; the bridge is a wire protocol, not an FFI layer. That deliberately avoids the failure mode that left php-gtk and php-qt unmaintained.

## 60-second tour

```bash
git clone https://src.bundespruefstelle.ch/magdev/php-qml && cd php-qml

# Scaffold a fresh app
./bin/php-qml-init my-app

# Run it
cd my-app
make doctor                 # readiness check
make dev                    # FrankenPHP --watch + Qt host
```

Add a reactive resource (entity + REST controller + QML snippet) with one maker:

```bash
cd my-app/symfony
bin/console make:bridge:resource Todo
bin/console make:migration && bin/console doctrine:migrations:migrate -n
```

`make dev` opens the Qt window, connection state flips to **Online**, and the generated `TodoList.qml` shows a list whose `ReactiveListModel` is auto-subscribed to `app://model/todo` over Mercure. There is no handwritten cross-side glue.

For a non-trivial app with a multi-window test, crash-recovery test, and AppImage packaging, see [`examples/todo/`](examples/todo/README.md).

## Documentation

The full developer documentation lives under [`docs/`](docs/README.md):

- **[Getting started](docs/getting-started.md)** — prerequisites by distro, first project, troubleshooting.
- **[Architecture](docs/architecture.md)** — process pair, transport, dev vs bundled mode.
- **[Update semantics](docs/update-semantics.md)** — connection state machine, optimistic mutations, idempotency.
- **[Reactive models](docs/reactive-models.md)** — `ReactiveListModel`, `ReactiveObject`, Mercure dual-publish.
- **[Makers](docs/makers.md)** — `make:bridge:resource` / `command` / `window`.
- **[Dev workflow](docs/dev-workflow.md)** — hot reload, dev console, editor setup, `bridge:doctor`.
- **[Bundled mode](docs/bundled-mode.md)** — supervisor, per-session secret rotation, first-launch migrations.
- **[Linux packaging](docs/packaging-linux.md)** — `make appimage`, auto-update, performance budgets.
- **[Configuration reference](docs/configuration.md)** — env vars, CLI flags.
- **[QML API reference](docs/qml-api.md)** / **[PHP API reference](docs/php-api.md)** — singletons, components, attributes, services.

Design rationale and roadmap live in [PLAN.md](PLAN.md). User-facing changes per release are in [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md).

## Tech stack

PHP 8.4+ · Symfony 8 · Doctrine ORM 3 · FrankenPHP 1.12+ (worker mode) · Mercure · Qt 6.5+ · CMake · Composer · Gitea Actions

## Roadmap

- **Phase 0** ✅ throwaway transport spike.
- **Phase 1** ✅ framework skeleton, dev mode, single-instance lock, CI quality gate.
- **Phase 2** ✅ reactive models, update semantics, headline maker.
- **Phase 3** ✅ POC todo app, integration + snapshot tests.
- **Phase 4a** ✅ bundled mode, Linux AppImage, release CI, AppImageUpdate.
- **Phase 4b/4c** ⏳ macOS / Windows packaging.
- **Phase 5** 🚧 DX polish — dev console, init script, hot-reload docs, v0.1.0 prep.

## Contributing

Active development happens on the `dev` branch; `main` only carries release commits. Pull requests target `dev`.

```bash
cd framework/php && composer quality   # PHPStan + cs-fixer + PHPUnit
cd examples/todo  && make quality      # adds qmllint + integration test
```

A dedicated `CONTRIBUTING.md` arrives with Phase 5's wrap-up.

## Versioning

[Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/) — `MAJOR.MINOR.BUGFIX`. Pre-v1.0.0, minor bumps may break public API.

## License

To be decided before v0.1.0 is tagged. The framework's own code will be permissively licensed; Qt is shipped under LGPL with relinkability obligations — see [PLAN.md §12](PLAN.md#12-open-questions-and-risks).