Manifest for PHP

Turn 🔴 4xx API errors into 🟢 2xx in real time.

What is Manifest

Manifest is a self-healing layer that fixes and retries failed API requests on the fly.

• 🎯 Fix failures automatically before they impact your users.
• 🔔 Get notified of root causes so you can fix them permanently.
• 🔌 Works across your stack with internal APIs, external services, and agent tools.

How it works

Prerequisites

• PHP 8.2 or higher
• The opentelemetry extension:

pecl install opentelemetry && docker-php-ext-enable opentelemetry

In Docker, one line:

RUN pecl install opentelemetry && docker-php-ext-enable opentelemetry

PHP cannot instrument an HTTP client without it, so the SDK sees nothing until it is installed.

Get started

Start with your agent

"Install Manifest in this app: https://app-staging.manifest.build/prompt-php.md"

Read the prompt →

The prompt installs the extension, wires the loading order, and stops to let you paste your key.

Start with code

composer require mnfst/manifest-php

Manifest must load before your application makes its first HTTP call. A PHP hook cannot attach to a function that has already run, so an SDK that loads late sees nothing. Point auto_prepend_file at the bundled entry point:

; php.ini, a .user.ini, or your php-fpm pool config
auto_prepend_file = vendor/mnfst/manifest-php/prepend.php

Or call it yourself, as the first thing your application does:

use function Mnfst\manifest;

manifest();  // before any HTTP call

Laravel and CakePHP need no code of their own.

Setup

1. Create a project in your Manifest dashboard and copy its project key.
2. Set the key as an environment variable:

export MNFST_KEY='your-project-key'

Verify the install from your project directory:

vendor/bin/manifest doctor

It masks and validates the key, reports which coverage level is active, and tells you whether the SDK is loading early enough.

Try it

Send a request that would normally fail. Manifest catches it, repairs it, and retries:

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Http;

$response = Http::post('https://api.example.com/orders', [
    'limit' => 500,   // Invalid? Manifest fixes it and retries.
]);

echo $response->status();  // See the 200 OK response.

Check your Manifest dashboard to see all repairs and insights.

What is covered

The app calls an API via…	Covered
Laravel's Http facade	✅ healed
Guzzle, any client, including one built inside a third-party library	✅ healed
CakePHP's Cake\Http\Client	✅ healed
A library with its own raw curl_* client, such as stripe/stripe-php	⚠️ captured, never healed
file_get_contents	❌ not seen

The curl_* row is a permanent limit of PHP, not a temporary gap. The extension can observe an internal function but cannot replace its return value, so those failures appear in your dashboard while your application still receives the original error.

Supported infrastructure

Infrastructure	Supported
Docker, Kubernetes	✅ one line in the Dockerfile
A VPS or your own server (Forge, Ploi)	✅ pecl install opentelemetry
Heroku, Platform.sh	⚠️ only if the platform ships the extension
Laravel Vapor, Bref	⚠️ possible with a custom Lambda layer
Shared hosting (cPanel, Hostinger, OVH)	❌ you do not control the runtime

More

Configuration, limits & development · API contract · Website