macOS web development
Local web development
for macOS.
Run PHP, Node, web servers, databases, caches, search, mail and storage on your Mac. Butler gives every project a local domain, trusted HTTPS, and isolated services using sha256-verified static binaries. Loopback-only by default. Nothing touches Homebrew.
$curl -fsSL https://getbutler.dev/install.sh | sh
single static binary · ~15 MB · no Homebrew
One binary, that's it
CLI, daemon, DNS and the reverse proxy ship as a single butler executable. The menu-bar app is optional — quit it and nothing stops.
No Homebrew at runtime
Every service is a sha256-verified static binary pulled on demand. Your system stays clean; builds stay reproducible.
HTTPS in one command
A built-in CA issues per-site certs. butler secure flips any site to trusted TLS instantly.
Sites by directory
Park a folder and every subdirectory becomes name.test — Laravel, WordPress, Symfony, Craft, Statamic, Drupal, static and proxies, auto-detected. Octane worker mode included.
Per-site PHP & Node
Pin a project to any PHP version with butler isolate; butler node, npm and npx resolve the right Node per project. Composer follows the active runtime.
Switch from Herd or Valet
butler migrate herd imports your sites, and butler migrate herd --services adopts existing database and cache data. PROXY-aware routing keeps request metadata intact across Butler's hops.
Every service, on demand
Pick what you need — each one a verified static binary, supervised for you.
Run several versions side by side — butler service add postgresql@18 and go.
Link a site in seconds
Familiar verbs if you've used Valet — done better where it counts.