Laravel on Docker Deployment

A Laravel application can be deployed using Docker to ensure it runs exactly the same way everywhere. With Laravel on Docker, you can package an application with all its dependencies into a standardized unit for software development. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Why Choose Laravel on Docker?

The purpose of running Laravel on Docker is to package an application and its dependencies into a container, which can then be easily distributed and deployed. Let's discuss why running Laravel on Docker makes sense. With Laravel on Docker, you can run the application anywhere you are.

• Consistency: Your application runs the same way everywhere.

• Isolation: Your application and its environment are isolated from the host system.

• Scalability: Easily scale your application horizontally.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying Laravel on Docker

Prerequisites:

• Docker installed on your server machine

• Docker and Laravel knowledge is required

• A Laravel project to deploy

Step 1: Create a Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile file in the root directory of your Laravel project and add the following contents:

# Use the official image as a parent image
FROM php:8.0-fpm

# Set the working directory in the container
WORKDIR /var/www

# Install system dependencies
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y git curl libpng-dev libjpeg62-turbo-dev libfreetype6-dev zip

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

# Install PHP extensions 
RUN docker-php-ext-configure gd --with-freetype --with-jpeg
RUN docker-php-ext-install gd pdo pdo_mysql

# Copy existing application directory permissions
COPY --chown=www-data:www-data . /var/www

# Expose port 9000 and start php-fpm server
EXPOSE 9000
CMD ["php-fpm"]

This Dockerfile sets up a PHP 8.0 environment, installs some system dependencies, PHP extensions, and finally, copies your Laravel application into the container.

Step 2: Create a docker-compose.yml File

Create a docker-compose.yml file in the root directory of your Laravel project and add the following content:

version: '3'
services:
  app:
    build: .
    container_name: laravel-app
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www
    networks:
      - laravel-net

  webserver:
    image: nginx:alpine
    container_name: nginx-server
    ports:
      - "8000:80"
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www
      - ./nginx:/etc/nginx/conf.d
    networks:
      - laravel-net

  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    container_name: mysql-db
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: laravel
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: root
    ports:
      - "4306:3306"
    networks:
      - laravel-net

networks:
  laravel-net:
    driver: bridge

This docker-compose.yml file defines a PHP service using our custom Docker image and an Nginx service. It also sets up a private network for them to communicate.

Step 3: Create an Nginx Configuration File

Create a new directory named nginx in your Laravel project root, and within that directory, create a new file named app.conf. Add the following content:

server {
    listen 80;
    index index.php index.html;
    server_name localhost;
    error_log  /var/log/nginx/error.log;
    access_log /var/log/nginx/access.log;
    root /var/www/public;

    location ~ \.php$ {
        try_files $uri =404;
        fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(/.+)$;
        fastcgi_pass app:9000;
        fastcgi_index index.php;
        include fastcgi_params;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        fastcgi_param PATH_INFO $fastcgi_path_info;
    }
}

This Nginx configuration file sets up a web server that listens on port 80 and forwards PHP requests to the PHP-FPM server.

Step 4: Build and Run Containers

Navigate to your Laravel project's root directory in the terminal and run:

docker-compose up -d --build

This command will start building your Docker containers. Once built, your Laravel app should be accessible at http://localhost:8000.

Conclusion

Docker is a fantastic resource for simplifying the deployment process by efficiently handling dependencies and ensuring consistent functionality across all environments.

Once completed, you will have a fully functional Laravel application running in container, accessible through any web browser. Feel free to customize this setup to suit your specific needs.