Getting Started

Goal

This snapshot advances Keystone Gazette by teaching you to create a minimal Symfony app on port 8002.

Every numbered folder is a complete app. Run this stage independently, then compare it with the previous folder.

Prerequisites

Use PHP 8.2+, Composer, and Docker for MySQL stages.

Port 8002 must be free. Copy .env.example before starting database stages.

• PHP 8.2+ and Composer
• A code editor and terminal
• Docker from part 4 onward

Concepts

Symfony boots an HTTP kernel with routes and controllers.

Keep controllers thin: forms accept input, Doctrine entities enforce rules, and Twig escapes output by default.

Walkthrough

Return JSON from the root path on port 8002.

Read the example, then open the matching snapshot. The repository includes the surrounding setup and error handling.

#[Route('/')]\npublic function home(): JsonResponse { return $this->json(['message' => 'Keystone Gazette is live']); }

Run and verify

Enter 01-Getting-Started, install Composer deps, copy .env.example, and start the Symfony server on port 8002.

Open http://127.0.0.1:8002. Watch the terminal for validation and database errors.

git clone https://github.com/michaeldunga1/fcc-symfony-blog.git
cd fcc-symfony-blog/01-Getting-Started
composer install
cp .env.example .env
symfony server:start --port=8002 --no-tls
# or: php -S 127.0.0.1:8002 -t public

Troubleshooting

If the browser cannot connect, confirm the PHP server is running on 8002.

For database failures, confirm Docker and the keystone_NN name when applicable. Never commit .env or vendor.

• Read the first error first
• Restart after environment changes
• Never commit secrets

Try this

Add a /health route that returns JSON ok: true.

Test a happy path and one invalid or unauthorized request.

• Make one small change
• Test it in the browser
• Compare with the next snapshot only after it works