Fix Composer PhpSpreadsheet Minimum-Stability Error on PHP 8.2

The Composer error “Could not find a version of package phpoffice/phpspreadsheet matching your minimum-stability (stable)” hits hard when installing PhpSpreadsheet on PHP 8.2, especially if you’re new to Composer v2.9.3 like many beginners. It stems from PhpSpreadsheet’s latest versions leaning on dev stability or needing explicit constraints like ^5.4, plus your manual upload of the library’s composer.json—which doesn’t belong in your project root. Start fresh in an empty directory with composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^5.4 to auto-generate the right project composer.json and dodge both the stability mismatch and RuntimeException.

Contents

• Understanding the Composer Minimum-Stability Error with PhpSpreadsheet
• Why Manual composer.json Uploads Fail for PhpSpreadsheet
• PhpSpreadsheet PHP 8.2 Compatibility and Requirements
• Step-by-Step: Proper Installation of phpoffice/phpspreadsheet
• Fixing the ‘Could Not Find Version’ Composer Error
• Handling RuntimeException: No composer.json Present
• Advanced Fixes: Composer Stability and Explicit Versions
• Verifying PhpSpreadsheet Installation on PHP 8.2
• Sources
• Conclusion

Understanding the Composer Minimum-Stability Error with PhpSpreadsheet

Ever run composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet and watch it explode with that InvalidArgumentException? You’re not alone—it’s a classic gotcha for PhpSpreadsheet users on PHP 8.2. Composer defaults to “stable” minimum-stability, meaning it only grabs tagged releases marked stable. But PhpSpreadsheet’s GitHub repository shows the master branch gets frequent security patches without new stable tags right away, so no exact stable match exists for your broad require.

What makes this tricky? PhpSpreadsheet v5.4.0 (latest as of now) works fine on PHP 8.2, but without pinning a version, Composer balks. Think of it like ordering “coffee” at a barista who only serves “espresso ristretto grande”—you need specifics. Users hit this on Stack Overflow after vague requires or mismatched files.

And that RuntimeException in an empty dir? Composer expects a project scaffold. It won’t init automatically without help, leading back to the stability loop. Quick reality check: delete everything and start over. We’ll cover that next.

Why Manual composer.json Uploads Fail for PhpSpreadsheet

You mentioned uploading PhpSpreadsheet v5.4.0’s composer.json. Smart idea in theory, but here’s the rub—it bombs spectacularly. That file is the library’s manifest, meant for Composer’s vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/ folder after installation. Dropping it in your project root tricks Composer into thinking it’s your app’s config, sparking “phpspreadsheet composer.json no present” confusion or stability clashes.

Picture this: Your project needs its own composer.json listing requirements like "phpoffice/phpspreadsheet": "^5.4". The library’s version handles its internals (PHP ^8.1, extensions like gd, zip). Mixing them? Chaos. This Stack Overflow thread nails it—OP did the same, got identical errors. Delete that uploaded file immediately.

Pro tip for newbies: Composer v2.9.3 is stricter on validation. Manual uploads skip dependency resolution, autoloading, and platform checks. Result? Half-installed mess. Fresh installs fix “invalidargumentexception composer phpspreadsheet” every time.

PhpSpreadsheet PHP 8.2 Compatibility and Requirements

Good news: PhpSpreadsheet shines on PHP 8.2. The official Packagist page confirms support via "php": "^8.1" in its composer.json. No breaking changes noted up to v5.4.0, and the releases page tags it stable for production.

But PHP 8.2 demands extensions. Missing any triggers silent fails post-install. Here’s the full list from the repo:

Check yours: php -m | grep -E 'gd|zip|mbstring'. Gaps? Install and restart PHP-FPM/Apache.

Step-by-Step: Proper Installation of phpoffice/phpspreadsheet

Ready to nail “composer phpspreadsheet” on PHP 8.2? Follow these exact steps in a terminal. Assumes Composer v2.9.3 global install.

1. Create a fresh project dir (fixes empty dir issues):

mkdir phpspreadsheet-project
cd phpspreadsheet-project

2. Init Composer (auto-creates composer.json):

composer init --no-interaction

Or skip and let require handle it.

3. Require with explicit version (bypasses stability error):

composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^5.4

Why ^5.4? Matches latest release. Outputs vendor/ folder with autoload.php.

4. Verify:

composer show phpoffice/phpspreadsheet

Should list v5.4.0, PHP 8.2 locked.

Your composer.json now looks like:

{
 "require": {
 "phpoffice/phpspreadsheet": "^5.4"
 },
 "minimum-stability": "stable"
}

Boom. No uploads needed. If platform reqs fail, add --ignore-platform-reqs once.

Fixing the ‘Could Not Find Version’ Composer Error

Still seeing “composer error could not find version phpspreadsheet”? Layered fixes, from simple to nuclear.

• Clear cache: Stale metadata kills installs.

composer clear-cache
composer update

• Explicit stability ignore (temporary):

composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:dev-master --ignore-platform-reqs

Risky for prod—use Stack Overflow advice sparingly.

• Global config tweak:

composer config minimum-stability dev --global
composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet

Revert later: composer config minimum-stability stable --global.

Common pitfalls: Locked PHP version? composer config platform.php 8.2.0. Vendor dir exists? rm -rf vendor composer.lock.

Handling RuntimeException: No composer.json Present

That update error in empty dirs? Composer v2.9.3 won’t auto-init during require without a nudge. Drupal issue thread echoes this for PhpSpreadsheet.

Fixes:

• Run composer init first (interactive or --no-interaction).
• Or composer require in non-empty dir— it creates composer.json/lock.
• Nuke and restart: rm -rf * then steps from earlier section.

Why? Empty dirs trigger RuntimeException chain to stability check. Always scaffold first.

Advanced Fixes: Composer Stability and Explicit Versions

Diving deeper on “how to set composer minimum-stability dev” for PhpSpreadsheet? Edit composer.json:

{
 "minimum-stability": "dev",
 "prefer-stable": true,
 "require": {
 "phpoffice/phpspreadsheet": "dev-master"
 }
}

Then composer update. “Prefer-stable” grabs stables where possible.

For “phpoffice phpspreadsheet require explicit version”: Lock to patch:

composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:5.4.0

Update on PHP 8.2: composer update phpoffice/phpspreadsheet --with-dependencies. Handles “error composer phpspreadsheet stable version” smoothly.

Verifying PhpSpreadsheet Installation on PHP 8.2

Installed? Test it. Create test.php:

<?php
require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Xlsx;

$spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
$sheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
$sheet->setCellValue('A1', 'Hello PHP 8.2!');

$writer = new Xlsx($spreadsheet);
$writer->save('test.xlsx');
echo "Excel created—PhpSpreadsheet works!";

Run php test.php. File outputs? Golden.

Errors? Check logs: Missing ext? Autoload fail? composer dump-autoload. PHP 8.2 strictness might flag deprecations—update code.

Sources

1. PhpSpreadsheet Packagist — Official package details, versions, and PHP 8.2 compatibility: https://packagist.org/packages/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet
2. PhpSpreadsheet GitHub Repository — Core source code, installation instructions, and composer.json requirements: https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet
3. PhpSpreadsheet composer.json — Exact PHP ^8.1 and extension dependencies: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/master/composer.json
4. PhpSpreadsheet Releases — Latest v5.4.0 stable version and changelog: https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/releases
5. Stack Overflow: Trouble Installing PhpSpreadsheet — Real-world fix for manual composer.json upload errors: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79871936/trouble-installing-phpspreadsheet
6. Stack Overflow: PhpSpreadsheet Composer Not Installing — Platform reqs and stability workarounds: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/48908023/phpspreadsheet-composer-not-installing
7. GitHub Issue #252 — Detailed reproduction of minimum-stability mismatch: https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/issues/252
8. Drupal Feeds XLSX Issue — Empty directory RuntimeException solutions: https://www.drupal.org/project/feeds_xlsx/issues/3381342

Conclusion

Fixing the Composer PhpSpreadsheet stability error on PHP 8.2 boils down to fresh directories, explicit versions like ^5.4, and ditching manual uploads—your setup will hum along with proper autoloading and extensions. You’ve got the tools now: init clean, require precisely, verify with a test script. If quirks persist (rare on v2.9.3), hit the GitHub issues. Excel automation awaits—what spreadsheet magic will you build first?