Rook
Rook: A free, open-source workspace manager for PHP projects and local services. Ranked #14 of 26 in Development Environment Management Tools by our editors (7.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for PHP sites with quick local service setup.
At a glance
- Editor score7.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forPHP sites with quick local service setup
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Automatic local HTTPS with project-specific development domains
- Multiple PHP versions with per-site FPM pools
- One-click MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Redis services
Where it doesn't
- Focused on local development rather than deployment workflows
- No AI-assisted development features
- Broad orchestration may exceed the needs of simple projects
Our verdict on Rook
Rook is a free, open-source desktop tool for managing local development environments across Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is aimed at developers working across multiple local projects and technology stacks, with a particularly strong fit for PHP sites. The product combines automatic local HTTPS, project-specific development domains, multiple PHP versions, per-site PHP-FPM pools, database services, Redis, Node.js support, and plugins in one environment manager.
Its standout area is local workspace orchestration. Rook can register workspaces, allocate ports globally, generate environment files, manage service dependencies, and run selected service profiles through service groups and runnable profiles. It also supports discovery for Docker Compose, devcontainers, and mise, while listing Docker, Docker Compose, devcontainer, and mise as integrations. This gives teams a way to coordinate recurring local services across projects without limiting the tool to a single PHP runtime or database choice. Developers who need repeatable local environments with several supporting services should find this breadth relevant.
The published product details describe Rook as open source with a free plan across all supported operating systems. Its main value is therefore the combination of PHP runtime management, local HTTPS, databases, Redis, Node.js, port allocation, and configuration automation rather than a tiered paid feature set. Rook is a strong choice for PHP-focused developers and teams managing multiple local workspaces. It is less suitable for organizations looking primarily for deployment management, or for developers who want AI-assisted development features or only need a minimal setup for one simple project.
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Rook pricing
Rook fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Supported operating systems | Not verified |
| Runtime management | Yes |
| Dependency locking | Not verified |
| Configuration as code | Yes |
| Shell integration | Not verified |
| Container support | Yes |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 4 integrations: Docker, Docker Compose, devcontainer, mise |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | getrook.dev |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Rook integrations
Rook lists 4 integrations on its own site.
- Docker
- Docker Compose
- devcontainer
- mise
Alternatives to Rook
- DevPodA flexible open-source client for reproducible workspaces across local and cloud backends.9.4
- devenvA free, open-source choice for locked, service-aware development environments.9.1
- FloxA declarative environment manager with lockfiles, services, sharing, and container export.8.9
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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