[DX] Using `composer ...` or `php composer.phar ...`

[wouterj]

The official download page uses the composer ... command, while the docs are using php composer.phar ....

If you follow the complete installation instructions in the Composer docs, you end up with composer on Windows and Unix. If you simply download the phar in your project, you end up using php composer.phar.

What should we use?

@Seldaek maybe you have an opinion about this?

[javiereguiluz]

As you tagged the issue as needs comments, I'll add my comment even if I'm not @Seldaek.

I'm strongly in favor of the Composer global installation and thus, composer should be the only way to execute Composer. Symfony documentation should be updated accordingly.

[stof]

For reference, see composer/composer#3125 about documenting the global installation first in the composer doc

[fabpot]

👍 for installing Composer globally.

[javiereguiluz]

What do you think about giving a huge push to global Composer installation by submitting issues or pull requests for the documentation of all major frameworks?

• Silex: http://silex.sensiolabs.org/doc/usage.html#installation
• Zend Framework: http://framework.zend.com/downloads/composer
• Yii: http://www.yiiframework.com/doc-2.0/guide-composer.html
• Laravel: http://laravel.com/docs/installation#install-composer

[xabbuh]

👍 for this suggestion.

[weaverryan]

Following up on composer/composer#3125, the PR at composer/composer#3130 would make it so that the current composer installation method adds a global composer command (even to Windows).

So I'm +1 for this as well, but contingent on seeing either the PR merged, or at least https://getcomposer.org/download/ showing instructions on how to do the global install. If we had this, then I think it's an easy sell to go around to all the libs and change composer.phar to composer.

[raulfraile]

👍 for installing Composer globally in instructions for Symfony, third-party bundles and major frameworks

[aferrandini]

👍 for installing Composer globally in Symfony instructions.
I think that could be add a remember of how to update Composer.

[cordoval]

i think in terms of practical terms, is better to move a phar to the PATH and rename it rather than install tools on a composer --global install. So if it is globally in the sense of global i am 👎 but if it is phar renamed to user PATH then 👍

[xabbuh]

@cordoval This issue is about where to install Composer not about how and where to install packages with Composer.

[Seldaek]

FWIW I'm all for pushing for global installs too. I'll take a look at the above linked issues.

That said, in composer docs I tend to use php composer.phar ... in instructions because I figure those capable of doing a global install are also capable of mentally translating that to composer ..., while the newcomer styles will be less confused if it just works by copy pasting commands.