Migrate from Laravel Sail
Switch from Sail to DAMP DevContainers
Switch from Laravel Sail to DAMP and get VS Code DevContainers, named volumes, and visual service management.
Why Migrate?
| Feature | Sail | DAMP |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Management | ❌ CLI only | ✅ GUI app |
| Named Volumes | ⚠️ Manual | ✅ Automatic |
| Multiple Projects | ⚠️ Port conflicts | ✅ Auto-assigned ports |
| HTTPS | ❌ Manual setup | ✅ Built-in |
Keep Your Code
DAMP replaces docker-compose.yml with DevContainers - your Laravel code stays the same!
Migration Process
Stop Sail
Stop all Sail containers:
# In your project directory
./vendor/bin/sail downThis frees up ports and stops services.
Open DAMP
Launch DAMP and click "Add Site" button.
Select "Existing Project"
Choose the Existing Project option.
Configure Site
Fill in the details:
| Field | Value | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Your site name | my-sail-app |
| Path | Your project folder | C:\Projects\my-sail-app |
| PHP Version | Match docker-compose.yml | 8.3 |
Install Services
Check your docker-compose.yml services and install equivalents:
| Sail Service | DAMP Service | Install? |
|---|---|---|
mysql | MySQL | ✅ Required |
redis | Redis | ✅ If using |
meilisearch | Meilisearch | ✅ If using |
mailpit | Mailpit | ✅ Recommended |
Go to Services page → Click "Install" for each needed service.
Update .env File
Open project in VS Code DevContainer and update .env:
# Old Sail config
DB_HOST=mysql
REDIS_HOST=redis
MEILISEARCH_HOST=http://meilisearch:7700
# New DAMP config
DB_HOST=damp-mysql
REDIS_HOST=damp-redis
MEILISEARCH_HOST=http://damp-meilisearch:7700
# Mail
MAIL_HOST=damp-mailpit
MAIL_PORT=1025Migrate Data (Optional)
If you have Sail database data:
Export from Sail:
./vendor/bin/sail mysql -u sail -p sail > backup.sqlImport to DAMP:
# Inside DevContainer terminal
mysql -h damp-mysql -u damp -pdamp damp < backup.sqlTest Your Site
- Open in VS Code: Click "Open in VS Code" in DAMP
- Reopen in Container when prompted
- Browse to
https://yoursite.local - Install SSL certificate if needed
What Changed
Files Replaced
DAMP replaces Sail files with DevContainer files:
Sail Files (can be deleted):
├── docker-compose.yml ← Remove
├── docker/ ← Remove
└── .env.example ← UpdateDAMP Files (added):
├── .devcontainer/ ← Added by DAMP
│ ├── devcontainer.json
│ ├── Dockerfile
│ └── xdebug.ini
└── .vscode/ ← Added by DAMP
├── launch.json
└── settings.jsonClean Up
You can delete docker-compose.yml and the docker/ folder after migration!
Command Changes
Sail Commands:
./vendor/bin/sail up -d
./vendor/bin/sail artisan migrate
./vendor/bin/sail composer install
./vendor/bin/sail npm installDAMP Equivalent:
# No "sail" prefix needed - run directly in DevContainer
php artisan migrate
composer install
npm installService Hostnames
Sail:
DB_HOST=mysql
REDIS_HOST=redisDAMP:
DB_HOST=damp-mysql # Prefixed with "damp-"
REDIS_HOST=damp-redisKey Benefits
🎯 Better VS Code Integration
Sail: Run commands via ./vendor/bin/sail
DAMP: Native terminal inside DevContainer - no wrapper needed!
🚀 Named Volumes
Sail: Manual volume configuration
DAMP: Automatic named volumes for performance
🔒 HTTPS Out of the Box
Sail: Manual Nginx/Caddy setup
DAMP: HTTPS with Caddy included
🖥️ Visual Management
Sail: CLI commands only
DAMP: GUI for service installation, site management
Troubleshooting
Sail Aliases
Remove Sail aliases from your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc) after migration - you won't need them!