Lando: PHP 7.2 in latest release, should be PHP 7.3

[gitressa]

Lando v3.0.0-aft.2 on Ubuntu 18.04

.lando.yml

name: drupallando
recipe: drupal8
config:
  webroot: web

Tell us about the command you were running

composer create-project drupal/recommended-project drupallando
cd drupallando/
lando init --source cwd --recipe drupal8 --webroot web --name drupallando
lando start

Tell us about the error you got

$ lando php -v
...
PHP 7.2.29 (cli) (built: Mar 20 2020 02:03:45) ( NTS )

Tell us generally about your bug
As I read the documentation, the default PHP version should be 7.3. I can get PHP by adding this in .lando.yml and rebuilding, so it is available:

services:
  appserver:
    type: php:7.3

$ lando rebuild
$ lando php -v
...
PHP 7.3.16 (cli) (built: Mar 20 2020 00:06:33) ( NTS )

PS. As a side note, on the PHP documentation page my-service: is used. Perhaps it could be updated to the default appserver:? I remember trying to get this to work, when I started using Lando, as I am sure many other beginners are.

services:
  my-service:
    type: php:7.3

[pirog]

@gitressa this is expected based on your configuration. Note that there is a difference between a service and a recipe. A service is a singular thing eg php or mysql, a recipe is basically a preconfigured set of services.

The default php version for the php service is 7.3 which you can see in code here
https://github.com/lando/lando/blob/master/plugins/lando-services/services/php/builder.js#L85
and in our func tests here
https://github.com/lando/lando/tree/master/examples/php

However the default php version for the Drupal 8 recipe is 7.2, similarly
https://github.com/lando/lando/blob/master/plugins/lando-recipes/recipes/drupal8/builder.js#L19
https://github.com/lando/lando/tree/master/examples/drupal8

By similar reasoning appserver is a naming convention we use when setting up the application driving service in a recipe, however it needs to be user defined if you spin up a service directly eg without a recipe.

[gitressa]

Thanks for a thorough explanation @pirog, that makes sense to me now :-)

I still do prefer to use appserver in the documentation, over my-service. My reasoning is that a beginner just starting out with Lando, and wants to do their first minor tweaking, like bumping up PHP will struggle and use a lot of time to figure out to use appserver, not my-service -- whereas the seasoned expert developer has no problem with diving deep into the documentation, to define advanced scenarios. But I respect your decision to keep my-service.

[pirog]

i'm fine to change my-service to something else as long as:

1. Its clear that whateveryouwanttonameyourservice is whatever you want to name your service and does not have to be anything explicit eg appserver
2. Somebody else (you ?) wants to update what would presumably be a significant amount of docs

A potentially less time intensive/tedious alternative could be creating a lando "guide" for new users that explains these concepts with some working examples. eg "using lando recipes" or "using lando services" or "the difference between a recipe and a service".

If we had that we could also send it out to new users who elect to receive this kind of on boarding and training content
https://docs.lando.dev/contrib/guides-intro.html

[gitressa]

I get your point @pirog, and agree that in the big picture, your suggestion of a Lando beginners guide, explaining the different concepts you outline with some working examples is a great idea.

When writing documentation, it's always a challenge to find the fine line between on-boarding beginners with simple and easy-to-understand examples, yet also show all the great features that are available.