<p>You'll want to run that <code>composer create-project</code> command from inside of your Nitro VM. If you run it on your host machine, it'll use whatever version of PHP your host machine has installed.</p>
<p>Do this:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Make sure Composer is installed in the VM by running <code>nitro install composer</code> from the host machine. <a href="https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#install-composer" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#install-composer</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>SSH into the box by running <code>nitro ssh</code>. <a href="https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#ssh" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#ssh</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>Run <code>composer create-project craftcms/craft</code> to get a fresh new Craft project inside the VM.</p>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-09T09:24:27.603Z
Thanks for the pointers Brad.  This has worked for me.  Maybe the process of creating a project 'within' the Nitro box should be clearer in the docs?
Martin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-13T15:27:09.570Z
@Martin Nitro 1.1.0 added a `create` command for setting up new Craft projects without relying on local PHP or Composer: https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#create
Matt Stein
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-08T22:01:23.190Z
2020-09-08T22:01:23.190Z
Brad Bell
<p>I'm not particularly tech minded so MAMP has served me well for a good while.  However I more recently decided to give Craft Nitro a try.  I got everything (Multipass and Nitro) set up really easy.  I then went to create a project and got the error PHP extension ext-zip * is missing.  I've seen this before and worked around it guided by <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58290566/install-ext-zip-for-mac/58300437#58300437">This post</a>.</p>
<p>All good...  craft installed.   However, now i'm confused?  Why did I need to install an older version of PHP on my host machine (OSX) when Nitro is supposedly a self contained 'box' with everything needed for a Craft install?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-08T16:24:34.553Z
Sounds like maybe you did `composer install` from your host machine instead of from inside the Nitro box?
James Smith
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-08T17:59:17.453Z
Hi James! Inside the Nitro box?  The docs and a Mijingo vid tutorial both suggest the craft project should pre-exist?  So how do I do composer create-project from within Nitro?
Martin
<php><nitro>
Craft Nitro PHP extension ext-zip * is missing
# Craft Nitro PHP extension ext-zip * is missing

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-08)

I'm not particularly tech minded so MAMP has served me well for a good while. However I more recently decided to give Craft Nitro a try. I got everything (Multipass and Nitro) set up really easy. I then went to create a project and got the error PHP extension ext-zip \* is missing. I've seen this before and worked around it guided by [This post](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58290566/install-ext-zip-for-mac/58300437#58300437).

All good... craft installed. However, now i'm confused? Why did I need to install an older version of PHP on my host machine (OSX) when Nitro is supposedly a self contained 'box' with everything needed for a Craft install?

**Tags:** php, nitro

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Sounds like maybe you did `composer install` from your host machine instead of from inside the Nitro box?  
> **username_0**: Hi James! Inside the Nitro box?  The docs and a Mijingo vid tutorial both suggest the craft project should pre-exist?  So how do I do composer create-project from within Nitro?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-09-08. Score: 1

You'll want to run that `composer create-project` command from inside of your Nitro VM. If you run it on your host machine, it'll use whatever version of PHP your host machine has installed.

Do this:

1. Make sure Composer is installed in the VM by running `nitro install composer` from the host machine. <https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#install-composer>
2. SSH into the box by running `nitro ssh`. <https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#ssh>
3. Run `composer create-project craftcms/craft` to get a fresh new Craft project inside the VM.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the pointers Brad.  This has worked for me.  Maybe the process of creating a project 'within' the Nitro box should be clearer in the docs?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 Nitro 1.1.0 added a `create` command for setting up new Craft projects without relying on local PHP or Composer: https://craftcms.com/docs/nitro/commands.html#create  

---

