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Getting Started

php-via is a real-time engine for PHP. It brings server-centric reactivity to PHP using OpenSwoole as the runtime and Datastar as the client-side reactive layer.

The result: you write PHP, the browser updates in real-time. No JavaScript. No build step. No API layer to maintain.

Requirements

Installation

composer require mbolli/php-via

Your first app

Create app.php in a new directory. Here's the most minimal php-via application — a counter: 

<?php
require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';

use Mbolli\PhpVia\Config;
use Mbolli\PhpVia\Context;
use Mbolli\PhpVia\Via;

$app = new Via(new Config());

$app->page('/', function (Context $c): void {
    // 1. Declare a reactive signal
    $count = $c->signal(0);

    // 2. Define an action (server-side event handler)
    $increment = $c->action(function () use ($count): void {
        $count->setValue($count->int() + 1);
    });

    // 3. Render a view (the framework pushes updates via SSE)
    $c->view(fn() => <<<HTML
        <p>Count: <strong data-text="$count">{$count->int()}</strong></p>
        <button data-on:click="@post('{$increment->url()}')"}>+1</button>
    HTML);
});

$app->start();
php app.php
# ⚡ Server started on http://0.0.0.0:3000

Open localhost:3000 in your browser and click the button. Then open a second tab — the counter stays independent. That's TAB scope, the default.

▶ Try it — interactive version of the code above
⚡ app.php — the complete source 
<?php
require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';

use Mbolli\PhpVia\Config;
use Mbolli\PhpVia\Context;
use Mbolli\PhpVia\Via;

$app = new Via(new Config());

$app->page('/', function (Context $c): void {
    $count = $c->signal(0);

    $increment = $c->action(
        fn() => $count->setValue($count->int() + 1)
    );

    $c->view(fn() => <<<HTML
        <p>Count: <strong data-text="$count">
            {$count->int()}
        </strong></p>
        <button data-on:click="@post('{$increment->url()}')">
            +1
        </button>
    HTML);
});

$app->start();
Live result

Count: 0

This is your counter. Only you see it.

How it works

When the page loads, php-via:

  1. Executes your page handler to build the initial HTML
  2. Injects signal state into the page as JSON <meta data-signals>
  3. Datastar establishes an SSE connection to /_sse
  4. When you click a button, Datastar POSTs to /_action/{id}
  5. Your action callback runs, signals update, view re-renders
  6. The patch arrives via SSE and Datastar morphs the DOM

No page reload. No flash. Just seamless updates.

Next steps

  • Signals — reactive state and two-way binding
  • Scopes — share state across users with one line
  • Components — compose complex pages from isolated sub-contexts
  • Examples — live, editable examples of every feature

Professional support

Need help with architecture, migration, or scaling a server-centric PHP application? zwei und eins gmbh — the company behind php-via — offers audits and implementation support.