Composer Dependency Management on WAMP: Troubleshooting the Missing OpenSSL Extension

Installer Composer dependency management on WAMP can encounter an error message regarding the missing OpenSSL extension. This article addresses the issue and presents a solution.

Understanding the OpenSSL Extension

OpenSSL is a security library used for encrypting and decrypting data. Composer recommends its use for secure operations. Without it, Composer's functionality is limited.

Troubleshooting on WAMP

The error message indicates that OpenSSL is not enabled in PHP. While it may appear to be enabled in WAMP's extension settings, the actual PHP configuration files may not reflect the setting correctly.

Solution

The solution lies in manually editing the PHP configuration file for the command-line interface (CLI):

1. Navigate to C:\wamp\bin\php\php-5.4.3\php.ini.
2. Locate the section titled "[PHP]" and search for the line extension=php_openssl.dll.
3. Uncomment the line by removing the ; character at the beginning (if present).
4. Save the file and restart WAMP.

Additional Notes

• If you encounter any difficulties, refer to the Composer documentation for more detailed troubleshooting steps.
• Ensuring that OpenSSL is enabled both in the CLI and Apache configurations will allow you to harness Composer's full capabilities and improve your application's security.