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Configuration

Configure your NativePHP Desktop application’s metadata, behavior, and build settings through the config/nativephp.php file.

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Configuration File

After installation, you’ll find the configuration file at config/nativephp.php. This file controls all aspects of your desktop application.

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Application Metadata

Define your application’s identity and metadata:

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Version

The version number of your application, used for update checks: 
'version' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_VERSION', '1.0.0'),
Increment this value every time you release a new version. The updater uses this to determine if updates are available.

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Application ID

A unique identifier for your application, typically in reverse domain notation: 
'app_id' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_ID', 'com.nativephp.app'),
Use a unique application ID to prevent conflicts with other applications. Follow the reverse domain convention (e.g., com.yourcompany.yourapp).

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Deep Linking

Configure a custom URL scheme to open your application from other apps: 
'deeplink_scheme' => env('NATIVEPHP_DEEPLINK_SCHEME'),
Example: Setting deeplink_scheme to "myapp" allows URLs like myapp://some/path to open your application.

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Application Details

Provide additional metadata for your application: 
'author' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_AUTHOR'),
'copyright' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_COPYRIGHT'),
'description' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_DESCRIPTION', 'An awesome app built with NativePHP'),
'website' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_WEBSITE', 'https://nativephp.com'),

NATIVEPHP_APP_VERSION=1.2.0
NATIVEPHP_APP_ID=com.mycompany.myapp
NATIVEPHP_APP_AUTHOR="My Company Inc."
NATIVEPHP_APP_COPYRIGHT="Copyright © 2026 My Company"
NATIVEPHP_APP_DESCRIPTION="A powerful desktop application"
NATIVEPHP_APP_WEBSITE=https://mycompany.com
NATIVEPHP_DEEPLINK_SCHEME=myapp

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Service Provider

Specify your application’s native service provider: 
'provider' => \App\Providers\NativeAppServiceProvider::class,
This provider bootstraps your application and configures windows, menus, global shortcuts, and more. See the Quick Start guide for examples.

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Build Configuration

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Environment Cleanup

Remove sensitive keys from the .env file when building for production: 
'cleanup_env_keys' => [
    'AWS_*',
    'AZURE_*',
    'GITHUB_*',
    'DO_SPACES_*',
    '*_SECRET',
    'BIFROST_*',
    'NATIVEPHP_UPDATER_PATH',
    'NATIVEPHP_APPLE_ID',
    'NATIVEPHP_APPLE_ID_PASS',
    'NATIVEPHP_APPLE_TEAM_ID',
    // Add your own sensitive keys here
],
Wildcards are supported. Any environment variable matching these patterns will be removed from the production build to prevent exposing secrets.

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File Cleanup

Exclude unnecessary files and folders from the production build: 
'cleanup_exclude_files' => [
    'build',
    'temp',
    'content',
    'node_modules',
    '*/tests',
],
This reduces the final application size by removing development-only files.

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Build Scripts

Run custom scripts before and after building: 
'prebuild' => [
    'npm run build',
],

'postbuild' => [
    'rm -rf public/build',
],
1

Prebuild Scripts

Execute commands before bundling (e.g., compile assets, run tests)
2

Postbuild Scripts

Execute commands after bundling (e.g., cleanup, notifications)

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Auto-Update System

Configure automatic updates for your application:

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Enable/Disable Updates

'updater' => [
    'enabled' => env('NATIVEPHP_UPDATER_ENABLED', true),
    'default' => env('NATIVEPHP_UPDATER_PROVIDER', 'spaces'),
    // ...
],
The updater only works in production builds. It will not function during development.

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Update Providers

NativePHP supports multiple update distribution methods: 
'providers' => [
    'github' => [
        'driver' => 'github',
        'repo' => env('GITHUB_REPO'),
        'owner' => env('GITHUB_OWNER'),
        'token' => env('GITHUB_TOKEN'),
        'vPrefixedTagName' => env('GITHUB_V_PREFIXED_TAG_NAME', true),
        'private' => env('GITHUB_PRIVATE', false),
        'autoupdate_token' => env('GITHUB_AUTOUPDATE_TOKEN'),
        'channel' => env('GITHUB_CHANNEL', 'latest'),
        'releaseType' => env('GITHUB_RELEASE_TYPE', 'draft'),
    ],
],
Perfect for open-source projects or private repositories.

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Queue Workers

Configure automatic queue workers that start with your application: 
'queue_workers' => [
    'default' => [
        'queues' => ['default'],
        'memory_limit' => 128,
        'timeout' => 60,
        'sleep' => 3,
    ],
],
You can define multiple queue workers: 
'queue_workers' => [
    'default' => [
        'queues' => ['default'],
        'memory_limit' => 128,
        'timeout' => 60,
        'sleep' => 3,
    ],
    'emails' => [
        'queues' => ['emails', 'notifications'],
        'memory_limit' => 256,
        'timeout' => 120,
        'sleep' => 5,
    ],
],

queues

Array of queue names to process

memory_limit

Memory limit in MB for the worker

timeout

Job timeout in seconds

sleep

Seconds to sleep when no jobs available

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Custom PHP Binary

Specify a custom PHP binary path if needed: 
'binary_path' => env('NATIVEPHP_PHP_BINARY_PATH', null),
This is rarely needed. NativePHP automatically bundles the appropriate PHP runtime for your target platforms.

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Complete Configuration Example

<?php

return [
    'version' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_VERSION', '1.0.0'),
    'app_id' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_ID', 'com.mycompany.myapp'),
    'deeplink_scheme' => env('NATIVEPHP_DEEPLINK_SCHEME', 'myapp'),
    'author' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_AUTHOR', 'My Company'),
    'copyright' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_COPYRIGHT', 'Copyright © 2026'),
    'description' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_DESCRIPTION', 'My awesome desktop app'),
    'website' => env('NATIVEPHP_APP_WEBSITE', 'https://myapp.com'),
    
    'provider' => \App\Providers\NativeAppServiceProvider::class,
    
    'cleanup_env_keys' => [
        'AWS_*',
        '*_SECRET',
        'GITHUB_TOKEN',
    ],
    
    'cleanup_exclude_files' => [
        'node_modules',
        '*/tests',
        'storage/logs',
    ],
    
    'updater' => [
        'enabled' => env('NATIVEPHP_UPDATER_ENABLED', true),
        'default' => env('NATIVEPHP_UPDATER_PROVIDER', 'github'),
        'providers' => [
            'github' => [
                'driver' => 'github',
                'repo' => env('GITHUB_REPO'),
                'owner' => env('GITHUB_OWNER'),
                'token' => env('GITHUB_TOKEN'),
                'private' => false,
                'channel' => 'latest',
            ],
        ],
    ],
    
    'queue_workers' => [
        'default' => [
            'queues' => ['default'],
            'memory_limit' => 128,
            'timeout' => 60,
            'sleep' => 3,
        ],
    ],
    
    'prebuild' => [
        'npm run build',
    ],
    
    'postbuild' => [],
    
    'binary_path' => env('NATIVEPHP_PHP_BINARY_PATH', null),
];

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Next Steps

Quick Start

Build your first desktop application

Application Lifecycle

Learn about bootstrapping and lifecycle events

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