Before installing and deploying Skynet, ensure your hosting server or local development environment satisfies the required PHP version, database specifications, and PHP extension modules.
Core Software Requirements
These requirements apply equally to both local development environments (localhost) and production web servers:
| Requirement | Local Environment (Localhost) | Production Server |
|---|---|---|
| PHP Version | PHP 8.4+ | PHP 8.4+ (Standard CGI/FPM or CLI) |
| Database | MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.4+ | MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.4+ |
| Web Server | Laravel Herd (Recommended), Laragon, XAMPP, or Docker | Nginx, Apache with mod_rewrite, or LiteSpeed |
| HTTPS Support | Optional for localhost development | Strongly recommended (Required for secure checkout & payment gateways) |
Required PHP Extensions
The following PHP extensions must be enabled on your web server:
| Extension Name | Purpose & Function in Skynet |
|---|---|
BCMath | High-precision mathematical calculations for eCommerce pricing and tax computation |
Ctype | Fast character type verification and alphanumeric validation |
cURL | External API communication with payment gateways and remote services |
DOM | Parsing and generating structured XML documents, sitemaps, and rich content |
Fileinfo | Secure MIME-type detection for uploaded images, candidate CVs/resumes, and digital products |
Filter | Data sanitization and input parameter validation |
GD | Image manipulation, automatic resizing, thumbnail generation, and avatar processing |
JSON | Parsing JSON configurations, payment webhook responses, and permission arrays |
Mbstring | Multi-byte string handling essential for multilingual and RTL content |
OpenSSL | Cryptographic security, data encryption, and secure HTTPS handshakes |
PCRE | Regular expression parsing for routing patterns and input validation |
PDO & pdo_mysql | High-performance, parameterized database abstraction layer preventing SQL injection |
Tokenizer | Compiling Blade templates and caching framework configurations |
XML | Generating automated XML sitemaps and feed documents |
Important: The PHP
symlinkfunction must be enabled on your server to allow public access to uploaded assets and media.
Required PHP Directives (php.ini)
To ensure smooth file uploads (e.g., candidate resumes, portfolio galleries, product images) and database imports during installation, configure your php.ini directives with the following recommended values:
| Directive | Minimum Value | Recommended Value | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
upload_max_filesize | 32M | 64M - 128M | Uploading high-resolution portfolio images, candidate CVs/resumes, and digital products |
post_max_size | 32M | 64M - 128M | Submitting multi-image gallery forms and bulk product updates |
memory_limit | 256M | 512M | Compiling views, processing heavy image assets, and running database migrations |
max_execution_time | 120 | 300 | Preventing execution timeout errors during the initial installation wizard |
max_input_time | 120 | 300 | Allowing complete transmission of large multipart file submissions |
cPanel Configuration Guide
If you are hosting Skynet on a cPanel account:
- Log in to your cPanel Control Panel.
- Navigate to Software → Select PHP Version (then click the Options tab), or open MultiPHP INI Editor and select your domain.
- Set your active PHP version to 8.4+.
- Update the values for
upload_max_filesize,post_max_size,memory_limit, andmax_execution_time. - Click Apply / Save Changes.
Directory Permissions
The web installer and application runtime require write access to the following directories:
| Directory Path | Required Permission | Description |
|---|---|---|
storage/app/ | 775 / Writable | Application file storage, candidate CV uploads & installation lock |
storage/framework/ | 775 / Writable | Framework compiled views, sessions, and file caches |
storage/logs/ | 775 / Writable | Application error logs (laravel.log) |
bootstrap/cache/ | 775 / Writable | Compiled bootstrap configuration, services, and route caches |
On Linux/VPS servers, you can set the appropriate permissions via the terminal:
chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache
chown -R www-data:www-data storage bootstrap/cache
(Replace www-data:www-data with your web server's user and group if running under cPanel or a custom environment).