Overview
SpinApp is an AI-enabled local dev environment for Laravel that provisions a Docker-based stack (app, database, Redis/queue worker, web server, and optional frontend serving) and provides a built-in MCP server so AI assistants can execute dev commands in the right containers.
Feature comparison
| Capability | SpinApp | Laravel Herd | Laravel Sail | DDEV | Laragon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary target | Laravel local dev with AI assistant integration | Laravel local dev (native macOS) | Laravel local dev (Docker) | General Docker-based local dev | General PHP/web local dev (Windows-friendly) |
| Docker stack provisioning | Included | No (native macOS app) | Included (uses Docker Compose workflow) (laravel.com) | Included (requires Docker provider; manages Docker containers) (docs.ddev.com) | Does not support (typical Laragon is non-Docker / host-based) (laragon.org) |
| “No Compose required” / guided container wiring | Yes (claims “Full stack, zero Compose”) (laragon.org) | Does not support | Does not support (relies on docker-compose.yml in the app) (laravel.com) |
Partial (DDEV writes/uses docker-compose files) (ddev.readthedocs.io) | No (host-based vhosts / services) (laragon.org) |
| AI assistant integration via MCP | Included (bundled MCP server; “Setup AI” rules; exec/sql/logs tooling) (laragon.org) | Does not support | Does not support | Does not support | Does not support |
| Run dev commands inside containers (artisan/composer/npm) | Included (“exec” runs commands inside app/queue containers) (laragon.org) | Partial (runs local environment; not container exec) | Included via Sail container commands (sail ...) (laravel.com) |
Included (ddev exec) (github.com) |
Included (host commands / services; not container-based by default) (laragon.org) |
| Database provisioning (multi-engine) | Included (PostgreSQL/MySQL/MariaDB/SQLite; migrations-ready; writes .env) (laragon.org) | Partial (service management via Herd Pro) (herd.mintlify.dev) | N/A (depends on the project’s docker-compose setup) (laravel.com) | Included (database server container for common DBs) (ddev.readthedocs.io) | Partial (DB support exists in Laragon, but not positioned as “provisioned container stack” in core docs) (laragon.org) |
| Queue/Horizon-like worker dashboard | Yes (“Queue dashboard” intended to replace Horizon; start/scale/retry) (laragon.org) | Does not support | N/A (depends on project configuration) (laravel.com) | Partial (queue support depends on add-ons/services) | Does not support |
| Redis support | Yes (supports Redis, Redis/queue worker workflows) (laragon.org) | Partial (service management in Pro) (herd.mintlify.dev) | N/A (depends on compose) (laravel.com) | Included (commonly supported in Docker-based environment; extensible) (ddev.com) | Partial (Laragon is designed as a local dev environment; not specified as containerized Redis in core docs) (laragon.org) |
| Local domain/hosts automation | Yes (manages /etc/hosts for my-app.local) (laragon.org) |
Partial (uses a local dev workflow; depends on Herd’s service management) (herd.laravel.com) | N/A (depends on project config; Sail docs emphasize http://localhost) (laravel.com) |
Partial (DDEV manages environment routing/hostnames) | Yes (supports pretty URLs / auto virtual hosts in docs) (laragon.org) |
| Share local app to others | Yes (“Share via Cloudflare tunnel”) (laragon.org) | Does not support | N/A | N/A | Partial (not described as a first-class secure tunnel feature in core docs) (laragon.org) |
| SQL query logging / profiling | Included (“SPX & SQL profiling”; helps spot N+1 and slow endpoints) (laragon.org) | Does not support | Does not support | Partial (depends on observability tooling you add) | Does not support |
| Environment control (start/stop/status) | Yes (start/stop/status tooling; audit log of tool calls) (laragon.org) | Partial (UI-based control panel for services) (herd.mintlify.dev) | Included via container lifecycle commands (sail up/down) (laravel.com) |
Included (DDEV lifecycle commands) (docs.ddev.com) | Included (GUI/operations for local services) (laragon.org) |
| Supported OS | macOS 12+ (Windows not supported) (laragon.org) | macOS required (Herd requires macOS 12.0+) (herd.laravel.com) | Partial (depends on Docker support; official docs don’t restrict in the Sail page) (laravel.com) | Cross-platform (macOS/Windows/Linux supported in main site) (ddev.com) | Windows-friendly (Laragon docs focus on Windows usage) (laragon.org) |
| Pricing model | Downloaded product; macOS v0.1.11 listed; Windows “coming soon” (laragon.org) | Free tier + Herd Pro upgrade (herd.laravel.com) | Included with no separate license for Sail CLI; Docker-based local dev tooling (laravel.com) | Open source core; commercial/community services exist (pricing not verified in sources gathered) (ddev.com) | Free app with Pro features (pricing page) (laragon.org) |
| Compliance / auditability | Audit log of every tool call (claims) (laragon.org) | Does not support | Does not support | Does not support | Does not support |
When to use each
SpinApp: Choose when you want an AI-first Laravel local environment where an MCP-enabled assistant can run commands (artisan/composer/npm, DB queries, logs) inside the correct Docker containers, plus a queue dashboard and streamlined local domain/tunneling.
Laravel Herd: Choose when you want a fast, native macOS Laravel control panel experience—service management and a simpler workflow for Laravel developers who prefer to avoid Docker-centric local setups.
Laravel Sail: Choose when your team is already comfortable with Docker Compose and wants the official Laravel Docker-based dev workflow, using sail up to start the containers defined in the app’s docker-compose.yml.
DDEV: Choose when you want a Docker-based local environment tool that works across stacks and can generate/manage docker-compose-based environments, while keeping setup standardized and extensible via add-ons.
Laragon: Choose when you’re on Windows (or prefer host-based services) and want a quick, “ready-to-go” local PHP/web setup with conveniences like auto virtual hosts / pretty URLs and one-click local workflows.
Related AI Resources
- SpinApp: MCP-enabled “Setup AI” for running Laravel dev commands in containers (from SpinApp site) (laragon.org)
- DDEV: Extending/customizing local environments (add-ons and project-level env customization) (docs.ddev.com)
- Laravel Sail: Starting/stopping Docker containers via
sail up(laravel.com) - Laravel Herd: macOS requirement and installation basics (herd.laravel.com)
- Laragon: Auto virtual hosts / pretty URLs and local workflow docs (laragon.org)