Download 0.4.0-preview
An evaluation package for your own PHP and MySQL hosting. It includes production dependencies and installation instructions. Use synthetic records while you assess the preview.
PHP Ledger guidance: use this page with the matching release notes and evaluate the workflow using synthetic records.
Released 16 September 2026 · Development preview · Release notes on GitHub
Check the package before installing
- Version
- 0.4.0-preview
- Released
- 16 September 2026
- Package size
- 3.18 MB / 3,179,444 bytes
- SHA-256
b777f9b831db7a6e774e53f510c17ea001514f278ef9a585245ac013dc3aecf6- Licence
- AGPL-3.0-or-later; commercial licence available
- Runtime
- PHP 8.2+ (8.3 recommended), MySQL 8.4 (InnoDB), HTTPS, terminal access
Compare the ZIP's SHA-256 with the checksum file published beside the release.
b777f9b831db7a6e774e53f510c17ea001514f278ef9a585245ac013dc3aecf6
PowerShell
Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 ./phpledger-0.4.0-preview.zipLinux
sha256sum -c phpledger-0.4.0-preview.zip.sha256The published package is 3,179,444 bytes. The source and build validation are recorded with the release. Downloading it does not update an existing installation.
What is in this accounting starter?
Core invoices, bills, partial payments, linked credits, ageing and reconciliation; optional Purchasing and one-location Inventory; manually configured inclusive/exclusive tax. Existing cash, journal, period, report and bank CSV workflows remain. Quotes, advanced warehouses, regional tax filing and public financial writes are excluded. Read the full 0.4.0 release scope and fictional experiment.
The package has 26 migration receipts. Upgrading from 0.3.0 adds nine migrations numbered 017–025. Stop application and worker traffic, preserve the matched code/database/configuration backup, rehearse restore and follow the included UPGRADE.md. Opening party/product conversion is an explicit reviewed step; applying schema migrations does not silently convert business balances.
Hosting requirements
| PHP | 8.2 or newer for web requests and the command line; 8.3 recommended. BCMath, PDO, PDO MySQL, mbstring, cURL, OpenSSL, fileinfo and sessions. |
|---|---|
| Database | MySQL 8.4 with InnoDB. Start with an empty, dedicated database. MariaDB is not validated for this package. |
| Web server | HTTPS, PHP execution and front-controller routing. Serve only www/phpledger/public. |
| Operator access | A terminal to run preflight, migrations and initial-user creation. Private writable PHP session storage. |
Install from the included guide
Unpack privately
Read INSTALL.md. Keep configuration, dependencies and installation tools outside the web document root.
Configure the host
Use a dedicated database account and private config. Set production mode, HTTPS and routing as described in the package.
Check and initialize
Run preflight, migration and preflight again, proceeding only when each command succeeds. Keep all seventeen migration files supplied with this version, including both distinct 006 files and foundations migrations 013–016. Never rename or change an applied migration.
Verify with sample books
Create the initial sign-in user using secure stdin. Test a sample receipt, account statement, general-journal draft, posting, report and linked reversal.
For an existing database, read UPGRADE.md first and rehearse a private backup restore. The historical 2015 application and its SQL dumps are excluded from the new installation path.
The package includes reviewed opening trial-balance/CSV cutover and unpaid-document reconciliation. Detailed historical journals, XLSX and customer/vendor settlement workflows remain future work. Evaluate with synthetic records and obtain accounting review before a business cutover.
Frequently asked questions
What hosting does this package need?
Use PHP 8.2 or newer (8.3 recommended) for both web and command-line requests, MySQL 8.4 with InnoDB, HTTPS, terminal access and private writable PHP session storage. PHP needs BCMath, PDO, PDO MySQL, mbstring, cURL, OpenSSL and fileinfo. Serve only www/phpledger/public; MariaDB is not validated for this package.
Do I need Composer to install the download?
No. The ZIP includes production dependencies and its installation guide. Keep vendor files, configuration and installation tools outside the web document root.
How do I check that the ZIP is intact?
Download the ZIP and its SHA-256 file from the same GitHub release. Calculate the ZIP checksum using the command above and compare it with the published checksum before unpacking.
Does downloading the ZIP upgrade my existing installation?
No. Read the included UPGRADE.md, which covers recognized prior modern installations. Back up the database and application, rehearse restoration, then follow its maintenance, preflight and migration steps. Historical installations and customized schemas need separate review.
Can I bring an existing business into the preview?
The preview supports opening trial-balance/CSV review, explicit cutover confirmation and an unpaid-document register reconciled to control accounts. Detailed historical imports and operator AR/AP settlement workflows are not included. Use synthetic data for evaluation and obtain accounting review before a business cutover.