Laravel Herd versus ReDock: PHP-first against agent-first
Herd is fast and deep in one lane. ReDock spans several stacks and lets an agent drive them. If you live in Laravel, Herd is probably the better fit.
Laravel Herd and ReDock are both native tools for local development, and they optimise for different things.
Herd is PHP-first and fast, built around a deep, refined Laravel workflow. ReDock is multi-stack and agent-operable: WordPress, headless WordPress, Astro, Next.js, Node, Bun, PHP, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, n8n and Remotion in one window, all drivable by an agent.
If you live in Laravel, Herd is likely the better fit. If you span stacks, keep reading. This is a fair comparison.
What Herd does better
PHP and Laravel depth. Multiple PHP versions, first-class Laravel ergonomics, and a workflow shaped around how Laravel developers actually work. That specialisation runs deep.
Speed. Fast to start and fast to serve, which is a deliberate selling point and it delivers. For rapid iteration on a PHP site it feels immediate.
Focused simplicity. By concentrating on PHP it avoids the complexity a multi-stack tool has to carry. Less surface, fewer moving parts.
If your day is Laravel, Herd is purpose-built for you and a generalist tool will not match its depth in that lane. Use it.
What ReDock does differently
Runtimes side by side, and none of them on your system.
Every version lives in ReDock’s own folder, pinned per site. Your system PHP is untouched, and uninstalling removes what was added after showing you the list.
More than PHP in one window.
A project that pairs a PHP API with a Next.js front end lives in one place, and so does the n8n instance gluing them together.
Databases you can browse rather than shell into.
MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL and Redis all run as supervised services and open in the same window. Note the third row: PostgreSQL says Connection refused because it is not running, rather than showing an empty database and letting you draw the wrong conclusion.
Agent-operable. The whole app is MCP tools on 127.0.0.1:47200, so Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor or the built-in agent can create sites, install things, edit content and wire flows, with a catalogue of local models if you would rather not hold a key. What is MCP explains it.
Sharing and deploys built in. Unlimited unlisted links plus three named redock.xyz subdomains that keep their name, and one-click Cloudflare deploys with one domain you own attached at a time.
Where they overlap: PHP
Both run PHP locally with real HTTPS. Herd’s version management and Laravel tooling are more specialised and, for pure Laravel work, faster to reach for. ReDock runs PHP and MySQL well as part of a broader set, and adds agent operation and site-level git on top.
If PHP is most of your work, Herd’s specialisation wins. If PHP is one of several things you touch, one window is the pull.
The agent difference is the sharpest. Directing a site in language, with every change visible and reversible, is a workflow Herd does not aim at. Whether that matters depends entirely on how you like to work.
Choosing
Laravel and PHP are the main work and speed matters most? Herd.
Several stacks, want agent control plus built-in sharing and deploys? ReDock.
Want both? They coexist. Herd for Laravel, ReDock for the WordPress, JavaScript and automation side.
The ReDock desktop app is free on every plan; the paid plans buy room in ReDock Web, for live WordPress sites. Herd has a free tier and paid features. Decide on fit, not price.
The install guide, first-site guide and stacks list cover setup. The wider field is MAMP alternatives and the WordPress angle is LocalWP versus ReDock.
FAQ
Does ReDock support Laravel specifically?
It runs PHP and MySQL, which covers Laravel’s runtime needs, and it does not offer Herd’s Laravel-specific ergonomics. For a Laravel-centred workflow, Herd’s specialisation is the better fit.
Is ReDock as fast as Herd?
Both are native and light. Herd’s speed is tuned for serving PHP specifically; ReDock spreads its focus across stacks. For pure PHP iteration Herd has the edge.
Can I run both on the same machine?
Yes. Many people keep Herd for Laravel and use a multi-stack tool for WordPress, JavaScript and automation work. They do not conflict.
Does ReDock run on Windows?
Yes, on 64-bit Windows 10 or later as well as macOS 12 Monterey or later, with sites, the agent, sharing and the MCP server the same on both.
Want multi-stack, agent-operable local development? Download ReDock for macOS or Windows.