Shopware Installation Guide 2026: Every Method Compared

What you need before installing Shopware

Shopware 6 runs on a standard LAMP/LEMP stack, but the specific version requirements are strict. Installing with the wrong PHP version or an unsupported MySQL release will fail silently or produce cryptic errors. Check these requirements before you start.

Required PHP extensions: ctype, curl, dom, fileinfo, gd, iconv, intl, json, libxml, mbstring, openssl, pcre, pdo, pdo_mysql, phar, simplexml, xml, zip, zlib. Set `memory_limit` to at least 512M in your php.ini. For theme compilation and indexing, 1024M is safer.

Your hosting environment matters as much as the software stack. For a detailed breakdown of hosting options and their trade-offs, see our Shopware Hosting Guide.

Choosing your installation method

There is no single best way to install Shopware. Each method serves a different use case, and picking the wrong one creates unnecessary friction. The following comparison helps you decide before you commit.

Installation via Composer (recommended)

Composer is the recommended installation method for production environments. It gives you full control over dependency versions, integrates with CI/CD pipelines, and makes updates predictable. Every serious Shopware deployment uses Composer.

Step-by-step Composer installation

1. Verify your PHP version and extensions: `php -v` and `php -m`
2. Create the project: `composer create-project shopware/production your-shop-name`
3. Navigate to the project directory: `cd your-shop-name`
4. Copy and configure environment variables: `cp .env.example .env` and edit the database credentials
5. Run the installer script: `./bin/console system:install --create-database --basic-setup`
6. Set up the web server (Apache or Nginx) to point to the `/public` directory
7. Access the admin panel at `https://your-domain.com/admin` with the default credentials

Installation via Docker

Docker is the fastest way to get a working Shopware environment on your local machine. No need to install PHP, MySQL, or Node.js locally. Everything runs inside containers. For a deep dive into Docker-specific configuration, see our Shopware Docker setup guide.

1. Install Docker Desktop (macOS/Windows) or Docker Engine (Linux)
2. Run the setup command to create a new project with all dependencies included
3. Wait for the containers to build and start (first run takes 2-5 minutes)
4. Access the storefront at `http://localhost:8000` and admin at `http://localhost:8000/admin`

The official Docker dev image from Shopware Docker Hub includes PHP, Composer, Node.js, and Caddy as web server. It creates a complete project with `compose.yaml` and a Makefile, so you can manage the environment with `make` commands.

Installation via manual installer

The manual installer is the simplest method, designed for shared hosting or users without command-line access. Download the installer from the Shopware download page, upload it to your server, and follow the web-based setup wizard.

1. Download `shopware-installer.phar.php` from shopware.com/download
2. Upload the file to your web server root directory via FTP or file manager
3. Open `https://your-domain.com/shopware-installer.phar.php` in your browser
4. Follow the wizard: select language, accept license, enter database credentials
5. Wait for the installation to complete (5-15 minutes depending on server speed)
6. Delete the installer file after successful installation for security

Post-installation steps

Installation is only the first half. A freshly installed Shopware instance needs configuration before it is ready for production traffic. These steps apply regardless of which installation method you used.

1. Configure your sales channel: Set up your storefront domain, languages, currencies, and payment/shipping methods in the admin panel
2. Install and activate a theme: The default theme works, but most shops need a custom or third-party theme
3. Set up SSL: Configure HTTPS and force SSL redirects. Update `APP_URL` in `.env` to use `https://`
4. Configure caching: Enable HTTP cache and configure Redis for session and cache storage for better performance optimization
5. Set up scheduled tasks: Configure a cron job for `bin/console scheduled-task:run` and `bin/console messenger:consume` to process background jobs
6. Update to the latest patch version: Run `composer update` to ensure you have the latest security patches. See our Shopware update guide for details

Troubleshooting common installation errors

Most installation failures come down to four causes: wrong PHP version, insufficient memory, file permission issues, or database connection problems. Here is how to diagnose and fix each one.

When to hire a developer

A standard Shopware installation is straightforward. But once you need custom plugins, complex ERP integrations, multi-channel setups, or a headless Shopware architecture with Shopware Frontends and the Shopware API, the complexity jumps significantly. At that point, working with an experienced Shopware developer or Shopware programmer saves time and prevents costly mistakes.

If you are planning a migration from another platform, the installation is just one piece of a larger Shopware relaunch project that includes data migration, URL redirects, and SEO preservation.

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