how to install dependencies or use composer at all in windows

Edit: actually there is a Windows installer on the Composer download page that will install Composer globally, so you won't need any composer.phar anymore. Install it from here, and then just run "composer install" from the directory where you have your composer.json.

(original answer below)

I didn't test this myself, but I think it's how it should work :

Download the composer.phar and put it in the same directory as your composer.json.

cd into the directory where you have your composer.json :

cd some\directory

Finally, run the composer :

php composer.phar install

For very Beginner Windows Users

1. Download the installer for windows from here

2. Check the installation by executing composer command at command prompt

3. Now, create the composer.json file at the same level where you have Vendor directory (not inside Vendor).

4. Move to the directory where you have composer.json with the command prompt and run the following command:

   composer install
   

5. It will show messages like 'packages are downloaded' and 'autoload.php file created'. (Check your /app/Vendor/ directory)

6. Now insert this code at the beginning of /app/config/core.php:

   require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/Vendor/autoload.php';
   

The code above will load all the classes automatically.

Hope this helps for beginners.