Manual Install

@includebeer,
> I’m curious why you think this is better than using the .env file. The .env file is there exactly for that. Why complicate things?

> If somebody know nothing about CodeIgniter and install it in production for the first time, then what can we do? It is just stupid. It’s not hard to test on a local server.

I am endeavoring to make it easy to render "Hello world" straight out of the box and not to have an uninformative "Whoops message" appear.

I did suggest amendments to the installation in this thread:

https://forum.codeigniter.com/thread-75857.html

I appreciate that the suggested JavaScript message is bit over the top, At least a non PHP standard environment should NOT be necessary to amend in order for the splash screen to appear. PHP has a perfectly good error reporting system which has been thoroughly tested and caters for every eventuaility. Why not accept the defaults which should be familiar with Noobies who want to try CodeIgniter4 and not introduce hurdles. I also assume that Noobies would be familiar with the error reporting system and know where to look to find why the screen does not apper BUT in 'production' error reporting is overridden and set to zero?

I have just "git cloned" the latest version and it is still the same!

1. "Whoops..." appears and the uninformative message is still the same!

2. Making the writable folder writable shows the "Hello world" message and is not necessary?

My concerns are that even though the CI_DEVELOPMENT has not been set then it defaults to 'production' and the writable folder is just not required because there is nothing written?

I think that Noobies expect after downloading "Hello world" would appear and it is off-putting if an unhelpful message appears. As a Noobie I would most probably not bother in problem investigating and solution finding if the designers make installation complicated.

I do get the distinct impression that CodeIgniter4 is just for previous users who wish to upgrade?

Once the initials screen is rendered then the user can investigate how to activate 'development' mode.

Reminds me of the KISS Principle and also to quote Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus Cars who urged his designers to "Simplify, then add lightness".

"It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away".