PHP Deployment Strategies

Introduction

Deploying PHP applications can range from simple file transfers to complex automated pipelines. The right deployment strategy ensures your application is reliably delivered to its hosting environment with minimal downtime and risk. This guide will walk you through various PHP deployment strategies, from basic approaches suitable for beginners to more advanced techniques used in professional environments.

Understanding Deployment Basics

Before diving into specific strategies, let's understand what deployment involves:

Preparing your code for the production environment
Transferring files to your hosting server
Configuring the environment (web server, database, etc.)
Running post-deployment tasks (cache clearing, database migrations)
Verifying the deployment was successful

The goal is to make this process as smooth, reliable, and repeatable as possible.

Basic Deployment Strategies

Manual FTP Deployment

The simplest deployment method involves manually uploading files using FTP (File Transfer Protocol).

Example: Basic FTP Deployment

php
// This isn't code you run, but a conceptual example of what files you'd transfer
// Typically you'd use an FTP client like FileZilla or built-in FTP in your IDE

// Files to transfer:
// - PHP files (*.php)
// - Asset files (CSS, JS, images)
// - Configuration files (with proper environment settings)
// - Vendor libraries (if not using Composer on the server)

// Remember to exclude:
// - .git directory
// - node_modules
// - development configuration files
// - test files

Pros:

Simple to understand and implement
Requires minimal setup
Works with virtually any hosting provider

Cons:

Error-prone (easy to forget files)
Time-consuming for larger applications
No version control integration
Difficult to roll back if problems occur

Using Version Control for Deployment

A step up from FTP is pulling your code directly from version control.

Example: Git-based Deployment

bash
# On your server
cd /var/www/myapp
git pull origin main

# If using Composer
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader

# Clear cache, update permissions, etc.
php artisan cache:clear  # For Laravel
# or
php bin/console cache:clear  # For Symfony

Pros:

Better tracking of what's deployed
Easier rollbacks (just checkout a previous commit)
More consistent deployments

Cons:

Requires Git on your server
May expose .git directory if not configured properly
Still requires manual intervention

Intermediate Deployment Strategies

Deployment Scripts

Creating custom deployment scripts automates the process and reduces human error.

Example: Simple Bash Deployment Script

bash
#!/bin/bash
# deploy.sh

# Configuration
APP_DIR="/var/www/myapp"
REPO="[email protected]:username/repository.git"
BRANCH="main"

# Deployment steps
echo "Starting deployment..."
cd $APP_DIR

# Pull latest code
git pull origin $BRANCH

# Install dependencies
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader

# Run database migrations
php artisan migrate --force

# Clear caches
php artisan cache:clear
php artisan config:cache

# Update permissions
chown -R www-data:www-data $APP_DIR/storage

echo "Deployment completed!"

To use this script:

bash
# Make it executable
chmod +x deploy.sh

# Run deployment
./deploy.sh

Pros:

Automated process reduces human error
Consistent deployments each time
Can include additional steps like testing and validation

Cons:

Still requires manual triggering
Limited error handling and rollback capabilities

Deployer PHP

Deployer is a deployment tool written in PHP, designed specifically for deploying PHP applications.

Example: Using Deployer

First, install Deployer:

bash
composer require deployer/deployer --dev

Create a deployment configuration file (deploy.php):

php
<?php
namespace Deployer;

require 'recipe/laravel.php';  // Or another recipe based on your framework

// Configuration
set('application', 'my_app');
set('repository', '[email protected]:username/repository.git');
set('git_tty', true);
set('keep_releases', 3);

// Hosts
host('example.com')
    ->set('remote_user', 'deployer')
    ->set('deploy_path', '/var/www/my_app');

// Tasks
task('build', function () {
    run('cd {{release_path}} && npm install && npm run build');
});

// Execute tasks
after('deploy:failed', 'deploy:unlock');
before('deploy:symlink', 'build');

Then deploy with:

bash
php vendor/bin/dep deploy

Pros:

PHP-specific deployment tool
Built-in recipes for popular frameworks
Atomic deployments with zero downtime
Easy rollbacks

Cons:

Learning curve to configure properly
Requires SSH access to your server
More complex setup than basic methods

Advanced Deployment Strategies

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

CI/CD pipelines automate testing and deployment whenever changes are pushed to your repository.

Example: GitHub Actions CI/CD Pipeline

Create a .github/workflows/deploy.yml file:

yaml
name: Deploy

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    
    - name: Setup PHP
      uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
      with:
        php-version: '8.1'
        
    - name: Install dependencies
      run: composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader
        
    - name: Run tests
      run: vendor/bin/phpunit
      
    - name: Deploy to production
      if: success()
      uses: appleboy/ssh-action@master
      with:
        host: ${{ secrets.HOST }}
        username: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
        key: ${{ secrets.SSH_KEY }}
        script: |
          cd /var/www/myapp
          git pull origin main
          composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader
          php artisan migrate --force
          php artisan config:cache
          php artisan route:cache

This workflow:

Runs when code is pushed to the main branch
Sets up PHP and installs dependencies
Runs tests
If successful, deploys to production

Pros:

Fully automated process
Integrates testing before deployment
Consistent environment for testing and building
Detailed logs and history

Cons:

More complex to set up initially
May require paid services for private repositories
More points of potential failure

Docker-Based Deployments

Using Docker containers provides consistent environments across development and production.

Example: Docker Deployment with Docker Compose

Dockerfile:

dockerfile
FROM php:8.1-fpm

# Install dependencies
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    git \
    curl \
    libpng-dev \
    libonig-dev \
    libxml2-dev \
    zip \
    unzip

# Clear cache
RUN apt-get clean && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Install PHP extensions
RUN docker-php-ext-install pdo_mysql mbstring exif pcntl bcmath gd

# Get latest Composer
COPY --from=composer:latest /usr/bin/composer /usr/bin/composer

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /var/www

# Copy application
COPY . /var/www

# Install dependencies
RUN composer install --optimize-autoloader --no-dev

# Change ownership
RUN chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www

# Expose port 9000
EXPOSE 9000

CMD ["php-fpm"]

docker-compose.yml:

yaml
version: '3'
services:
  app:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
    image: my-php-app
    container_name: php-app
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www
    networks:
      - app-network

  webserver:
    image: nginx:alpine
    container_name: webserver
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www
      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf
    networks:
      - app-network

networks:
  app-network:
    driver: bridge

Pros:

Consistent environments across development and production
Isolated application dependencies
Easier horizontal scaling
Simplified rollbacks (just revert to a previous image)

Cons:

Steeper learning curve
More complex infrastructure
Resource overhead

Blue-Green Deployments

Blue-green deployment uses two identical environments: one active (blue) and one idle (green). New releases go to the idle environment, and after testing, traffic is switched over.

Pros:

Zero downtime deployments
Easy rollback (switch back to previous environment)
Full testing in production-like environment before going live

Cons:

Requires duplicated infrastructure
More complex configuration
Needs automation to be practical

Best Practices for PHP Deployments

Regardless of which strategy you choose, follow these best practices:

Use environment-specific configuration files

Never hardcode credentials or environment-specific settings
Use .env files or similar approaches to manage configuration

php
// config.php
return [
    'database' => [
        'host' => getenv('DB_HOST') ?: 'localhost',
        'username' => getenv('DB_USERNAME') ?: 'root',
        'password' => getenv('DB_PASSWORD') ?: '',
        'name' => getenv('DB_NAME') ?: 'myapp',
    ],
    'debug' => getenv('APP_DEBUG') === 'true',
];

Automate database migrations
- Include migration scripts in your deployment process
- Use tools like Phinx, Laravel Migrations, or Doctrine Migrations
Implement proper error logging
- Configure error reporting appropriately for each environment
- Set up monitoring and alerting
Use Composer correctly
- Lock dependencies with composer.lock
- Install with --no-dev in production
- Use optimized autoloader in production
bash
```
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader
```
Implement caching strategies
- Clear cache after deployment
- Warm up cache for critical routes/pages
Set up proper file permissions
- Ensure web server has correct permissions
- Limit write access to only necessary directories
Perform health checks post-deployment
- Verify the application is functioning correctly
- Check critical functionality before considering deployment complete

Choosing the Right Strategy

Consider these factors when selecting a deployment strategy:

Factor	Consideration
Team Size	Larger teams need more automated, standardized approaches
Application Complexity	Complex apps benefit from more sophisticated strategies
Budget	Some strategies require more infrastructure investment
Downtime Tolerance	Zero-downtime needs? Consider blue-green or containerization
Release Frequency	Frequent releases benefit more from automation

Summary

We've explored PHP deployment strategies ranging from basic FTP transfers to sophisticated CI/CD pipelines and containerized deployments. As your application and team grow, consider evolving your deployment strategy to match your needs.

Remember these key points:

Start simple but plan for growth
Automate repetitive tasks to reduce errors
Test thoroughly before deploying
Plan for rollbacks
Document your deployment process
Continuously improve your strategy based on pain points

Additional Resources

Exercises

Basic: Create a simple bash script to automate deployment to your hosting environment.
Intermediate: Set up Deployer for a small PHP project and configure it to deploy to a staging server.
Advanced: Create a complete CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI that tests, builds, and deploys your PHP application.
Expert: Implement a blue-green deployment strategy with automated testing and traffic switching for a PHP application.

If you spot any mistakes on this website, please let me know at [email protected]. I’d greatly appreciate your feedback! :)

Introduction​

Understanding Deployment Basics​

Basic Deployment Strategies​

Manual FTP Deployment​

Example: Basic FTP Deployment​

Using Version Control for Deployment​

Example: Git-based Deployment​

Intermediate Deployment Strategies​

Deployment Scripts​

Example: Simple Bash Deployment Script​

Deployer PHP​

Example: Using Deployer​

Advanced Deployment Strategies​

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)​

Example: GitHub Actions CI/CD Pipeline​

Docker-Based Deployments​

Example: Docker Deployment with Docker Compose​

Blue-Green Deployments​

Best Practices for PHP Deployments​

Choosing the Right Strategy​

Summary​

Additional Resources​

Exercises​

Introduction

Understanding Deployment Basics

Basic Deployment Strategies

Manual FTP Deployment

Example: Basic FTP Deployment

Using Version Control for Deployment

Example: Git-based Deployment

Intermediate Deployment Strategies

Deployment Scripts

Example: Simple Bash Deployment Script

Deployer PHP

Example: Using Deployer

Advanced Deployment Strategies

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Example: GitHub Actions CI/CD Pipeline

Docker-Based Deployments

Example: Docker Deployment with Docker Compose

Blue-Green Deployments

Best Practices for PHP Deployments

Choosing the Right Strategy

Summary

Additional Resources

Exercises