Here’s hoping you have Docker installed, because Laradock rules. (It’s not just for Laravel.)
If the project is a Laravel project, Laravel Herd just came out. If you’re on a Mac, there’s also Valet. If you prefer a VM, there’s Homestead - a PHP Vagrant config.
“Master” is a strong word, but when I have to build applications it’s PHP in the back and JS up front. Specifically, Laravel implementations with whatever on top.
I’m extremely proficient with templating languages that eventually turn into HTML (nunjucks, antlers, blade, handlebars, webc, vue) and CSS (SCSS, LESS). A ton of my work winds up being on Static Site Generators and the unholy abomination that is at-scale Email development.
Real answer: consider passing Markdown through instead. You’re getting really close to one of my favorite memes. It’s a dark path, don’t tread down it.
You’d probably get more feedback if you posted a proposed solution (or “correct answer”) to StackOverflow and let the community tell you how dumb you are in between generating exactly what you are looking for.