Mac Dev Staging

Turn a macOS machine into a local PHP/MariaDB staging server using the stock macOS Apache, Homebrew PHP 8.5, MariaDB, built-in SFTP, npm tooling, a local dev...

Use this skill when you want a Mac to behave like a repeatable local development or staging server.

This skill is built around the stack you actually have on modern Apple Silicon Macs:

• stock macOS Apache (/usr/sbin/httpd)
• Homebrew PHP 8.5
• Homebrew MariaDB
• built-in macOS SSH/SFTP
• npm-managed JS tooling for local build/test workflows
• a development-local gateway surface that coexists with the main OpenClaw gateway
• optional Homebrew nginx

It does not assume a Linux-style package layout, and it does not pretend the Mac should behave exactly like your Ubuntu gateway.

Use This Skill For

• local PHP staging on a Mac
• Joomla, WordPress, CodeIgniter, Laravel, and similar PHP apps
• enabling PHP 8.5 under the default macOS Apache
• adding MariaDB and a predictable local database setup
• generating vhost files and config snippets instead of hand-editing from memory
• exposing the project over SFTP for deploys, edits, and staging sync
• installing browser-sync and similar JS tooling in a predictable way
• testing a lightweight Mac-local gateway/controller without colliding with the main gateway
• optional nginx fronting or sidecar local testing

Do Not Use This Skill For

• production internet-facing hosting
• replacing your main Linux gateway
• Docker-first local stacks when you explicitly want containers instead
• pretending the skill can bypass sudo for /etc/apache2 edits

Reality Check

On macOS, the hard part is not installing PHP or MariaDB. The hard part is making Apache config repeatable and not breaking your box.

This skill therefore follows a staged pattern:

1. detect current state
2. install or verify Homebrew services
3. render safe Apache config snippets
4. tell the operator exactly what needs sudo
5. verify the stack after changes
6. verify SFTP when file deployment is part of the workflow
7. keep receipts/logs for automation and staging actions

Workflow

1. Detect The Current Stack

Run:

bash

scripts/detect-stack.sh
scripts/detect-ports.sh

This checks:

• stock Apache version
• whether vhosts are enabled
• whether PHP is installed via Homebrew
• whether MariaDB is installed
• whether nginx is installed
• current brew services state
• port conflicts with the main gateway or local JS tooling

2. Install The Core Packages

Run:

bash

scripts/bootstrap-brew.sh
scripts/bootstrap-npm-tooling.sh

This installs:

• php
• mariadb
• nginx
• local npm tooling such as browser-sync

It does not silently mutate /etc/apache2.

3. Render Apache + PHP Config

Generate the recommended Apache enablement snippet:

bash

scripts/render-apache-php-snippet.sh

Generate a local vhost:

bash

scripts/render-vhost.sh \
  --server-name mysite.test \
  --docroot /Users/you/Sites/mysite/public

These scripts print the config you should install under:

• /etc/apache2/httpd.conf
• /etc/apache2/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

Applying those files still requires sudo.

4. Enable Services

For Homebrew-managed services:

bash

brew services start php
brew services start mariadb
brew services start nginx

For stock Apache:

bash

sudo apachectl restart

If you want a Mac-local development gateway that coexists with the main Ryzen gateway, render the recommended env first:

bash

scripts/render-local-gateway-env.sh

Default rule:

• main Ryzen gateway stays on 192.168.88.11:18789
• Mac local dev gateway binds loopback only
• Mac local dev gateway uses a non-conflicting test port such as 28789

5. Verify

Run:

bash

scripts/verify-stack.sh

This checks:

• Apache responds
• PHP CLI is present
• PHP module path is available
• MariaDB socket or TCP port is up
• nginx is running if expected
• expected local ports are either free or intentionally in use
• the local dev gateway test port does not collide with the production gateway

6. Enable And Verify SFTP

For staging boxes, SFTP is usually the simplest deploy path.

Check current state:

bash

scripts/detect-sftp.sh

If Remote Login is off, enable it with macOS settings or:

bash

sudo systemsetup -setremotelogin on

Recommended pattern:

• create or choose a dedicated staging user
• keep project files under that user’s home or a clearly owned shared path
• use SFTP for file sync, not broad shell access, when that is enough

Read references/sftp-on-macos.md before exposing the box to other devices on your LAN.

7. Receipts And Controller Actions

This skill assumes staging operations should leave a trace.

Use the lightweight controller when you want one stable entrypoint for local service control, build steps, verification, port checks, or gateway ping tests:

bash

scripts/controller.sh status
scripts/controller.sh verify
scripts/controller.sh build /Users/you/Sites/mysite build
scripts/controller.sh gateway-ping http://127.0.0.1:28789/

Use:

bash

scripts/write-receipt.sh --action "bootstrap-brew" --status ok --detail "Installed php mariadb nginx"
scripts/write-receipt.sh --action "verify-stack" --status ok --detail "Apache php mariadb verified"

The receipt trail is for:

• Markdown viewers
• CRM or internal dashboards
• rollback and troubleshooting

Read references/controller-surface.md for the intended lightweight Mac control-plane pattern.

Default Architecture

Recommended local staging layout:

• Apache on :80 for the app
• PHP 8.5 loaded into Apache or via PHP-FPM
• MariaDB localhost-only
• SFTP on :22 for deploy/sync
• optional nginx on :8080 for alternate reverse-proxy testing
• npm-managed test services on explicit ports like 3000 or 5173
• optional Mac-local dev gateway on 127.0.0.1:28789

Keep it simple first. Add Proxy Manager later only if you have a real reason.

Local Gateway Compatibility

The goal is not to replace the main Ryzen gateway. The goal is to let a Mac run a lightweight local development control surface without colliding with production orchestration.

Recommended rules:

• the main OpenClaw gateway remains the only LAN-facing shared gateway
• the Mac-local development gateway binds 127.0.0.1 only
• the Mac-local development gateway uses a non-default test port such as 28789
• test controllers talk to the local Mac gateway or controller, not directly to the production gateway, unless the workflow explicitly needs that
• if the local gateway/controller is down, the Mac should still function as a normal node and local staging box

Use:

bash

scripts/render-local-gateway-env.sh

to generate a repeatable local-only environment contract.

Optional nginx / NPM

nginx is easy to support directly through Homebrew.

Nginx Proxy Manager is optional and should be treated as a separate layer, usually containerized. This skill does not auto-install NPM because that adds more moving parts than most local Mac staging setups need.

Read references/nginx-and-npm.md before adding that layer.

Security Rules

• Keep MariaDB bound to localhost unless you deliberately need remote access
• Treat the Mac as a staging box, not a public server
• Keep local vhosts under explicit hostnames like mysite.test
• Never write secrets into generated Apache configs
• Prefer a dedicated staging user for SFTP instead of sharing your main login broadly
• If SFTP is enough for a workflow, do not grant unnecessary shell access
• Do not expose the Mac’s staging stack directly to the public internet
• Keep the Mac-local dev gateway on loopback only by default
• Keep receipts for bootstrap, service changes, and test-controller actions
• Prefer explicit port checks before starting BrowserSync, Vite, nginx, or a local gateway
• If the controller or local gateway fails, the Apache/MariaDB staging stack should continue operating locally

Files

• scripts/detect-stack.sh: inspect the current Mac stack
• scripts/bootstrap-brew.sh: install the core Homebrew packages
• scripts/bootstrap-npm-tooling.sh: install the baseline npm tooling for local staging workflows
• scripts/controller.sh: lightweight Mac-side controller for service/build/verify actions
• scripts/detect-ports.sh: check port conflicts for Apache, nginx, JS tooling, and the local gateway
• scripts/render-apache-php-snippet.sh: print the Apache PHP 8.5 enablement snippet
• scripts/render-local-gateway-env.sh: print a safe local-only gateway env contract
• scripts/render-vhost.sh: print a safe vhost block
• scripts/verify-stack.sh: verify the final stack
• scripts/detect-sftp.sh: inspect built-in macOS SSH/SFTP state
• scripts/write-receipt.sh: append auditable action receipts for staging/controller work
• references/apache-layout.md: notes on stock macOS Apache
• references/sftp-on-macos.md: safe SFTP setup notes for staging
• references/nginx-and-npm.md: when nginx or NPM is worth adding
• references/controller-surface.md: the lightweight Mac controller pattern
• references/gateway-coexistence.md: how to keep local gateway testing separate from the production gateway