Overview — Shopware 6 Installation
Welcome to the Shopware 6 Developer Installation Guide. This guide will help you set up a local Shopware 6 development environment - whether you’re:
- Building a custom shop project
- Developing a plugin, app, or theme
- Contributing to the Shopware core
You can choose from three supported setup options, each designed for specific use cases and development workflows. All setups start from the Shopware Project Template.
Shopware Project Template
Every setup begins with the Project Template. It creates a new Composer project that includes Shopware as a dependency, allowing you to:
- Extend the project with plugins, apps, or themes
- Customize configurations and services
- Align the environment with your development goals
Supported Setups
| Setup | Description | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Docker Setup | A complete, containerized environment including all required services (database, search engine, cache, etc.). | Most developers — provides production-like conditions, consistent across teams and CI/CD. |
| Symfony CLI Setup | Runs directly on your host system using local PHP and Composer. Lightweight and fast to start. | Quick plugin or theme development, or environments where Docker isn’t available. |
| Devenv Setup | A reproducible, Nix-based setup offering deterministic builds and cross-platform consistency. | Core contributors and advanced users managing multiple Shopware versions. |
INFO
If you’re unsure which setup to choose, start with the Docker setup — it provides the smoothest onboarding experience.
