Docker Compose for PHP Applications: Best Practices

In the domain of web development, PHP continues to be a widely utilized programming language, fueling various websites, web applications, and APIs. As the complexity of PHP projects increases, so do the difficulties related to managing dependencies, conditions, and deployment processes, Docker Compose arises as a strong solution for addressing these difficulties by improving the containerization and coordination of PHP applications. This guide focuses on investigating best practices for utilizing Docker Compose with PHP applications. We’ll begin by defining key terminologies connected with Docker and Docker Compose, laying the foundation for understanding their role in containerizing PHP projects. From that point, we’ll frame a step-by-step process for containerizing PHP applications utilizing Docker Compose, ensuring versatility, consistency, and simplicity of organization.

Toward the end of this guide, you’ll have an exhaustive comprehension of how to use Docker Compose successfully for PHP projects. Whether you’re a carefully prepared PHP developer hoping to smooth out your deployment work processes or a novice anxious to saddle the force of containerization, this guide will furnish you with the knowledge and tools to prevail in managing PHP applications with Docker Compose. We should dive into and investigate the universe of Docker Compose for PHP applications together!

Primary Terminologies

• Docker: Docker is a platform that permits developers to develop, ship, and run applications in containers, Containers are lightweight, independent, and executable software packages that contain everything expected to run an application, including the code, runtime, system tools, libraries, and settings.
• Service: With regards to Docker Compose, a help refers to a Docker container instance defined by the service part of a docker-compose.yml file, Each help addresses a part or micro-service of the application, like a web server, database, or storing layer.
• Container: A container is a normalized unit of software that bundles up code and every one of its conditions, empowering applications to run dependably and reliably across various processing conditions, Containers disconnect applications from their environmental factors, making them portable, versatile, and simple to make.
• Image: A Docker image is a perused layout that contains the directions for making a Docker container. Images are built from Dockerfiles, which determine the conditions and design expected to create the container. Images are put away in libraries and can be shared and reused across various conditions.

Step-By-Step process Deploy PHP Application Using The Docker Compose

Here is the detailed steps to deploy the PHP application using Docker Compose.

Step 1: Launch an Instance

• Go to AWS Console and login to AWS Console with your credentials
• Now Go to EC2 Dashboard and launch an instance

• Now connect with terminal

Step 2: Install Docker

• Now install docker with following command

sudo yum -y install docker

Start and enable docker. Without starting docker it cannot be start the docker and cannot execute docker commands

sudo systemctl start  docker
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl status docker

Step 3: Install Docker-Compose

Now install docker-compose because we are dealing with docker compose without docker-compose we can run docker-compose file. By using following commands we can install docker-compose

sudo curl -L https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/1.22.0/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m) -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Now change permissions to docker-compose by using following commands

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

+x means we are giving execution permissions only to docker-compose.

Step 4: Create Dockerfile

• Now create a dockerfile by using following file. In this inside docker file we are providing dockerfile script.
• By using dockerfile we are pulling php application. Create dockerfile by using following commands

sudo vi Dockerfile or sudo vi dockerfile

# Use PHP 8.0 as the base image
FROM php:8.0-apache
WORKDIR /var/www/html
COPY . /var/www/html
RUN docker-php-ext-install pdo_mysql mysqli
RUN a2enmod rewrite
EXPOSE 80
CMD ["apache2-foreground"]

Step 5: Create Docker-compose file

Now create docker-compose file by using following commands

sudo vi docker-compose.yml

version: '3.3'
services:
  php:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    volumes:
      - .:/var/www/html
    depends_on:
      - mysql
    environment:
      MYSQL_HOST: mysql
      MYSQL_DATABASE: mydatabase
      MYSQL_USER: myuser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: mypassword
  mysql:
    image: mysql:5.7
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
      MYSQL_DATABASE: mydatabase
      MYSQL_USER: myuser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: mypassword
    ports:
      - "3306:3306"
    volumes:
      - mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
volumes:
  mysql_data:

Step 6: Execute Docker commands

Build Docker Image: Run the following command to build the Docker image for the PHP application.

docker-compose build

Start Docker Containers: After building the image, start the Docker containers using the following command.

docker-compose up

Check Docker Containers: We can check docker container list. Ensure that all Docker containers are running by running the following command.

docker-compose ps

We can check logs by using following commands

docker-compose logs php

Access PHP Application: Once the containers are up and running, access the PHP application in your web browser. Now go to EC2 dashboard and copy public IP Address of EC2 instance and browse it along with port number 8080

Stop Docker Containers: When done, stop the Docker containers by pressing Ctrl + C in the terminal or execute following command:

docker-compose down

Conclusion

Containerization with Docker Compose offers a change in outlook in the manner in which we develop, deploy, and manage applications. All through this exercise, we’ve investigated the essential ideas of containerization and Docker compose, diving into terminology, work processes, and useful guides to delineate their usage, by utilizing Docker and Docker Compose, developers can accomplish more noteworthy consistency, portability, and versatility in their applications.

All through this guide, we’ve investigated the prescribed procedures for utilizing Docker Compose with PHP applications. We’ve covered the essential terminologies connected with Docker and Docker Compose, giving a strong groundwork to understanding how they cooperate, moreover, we’ve framed a step by step process for containerizing PHP applications, complete with commonsense guides to delineate each step.

In rundown, Docker Compose engages PHP developers to assume command over their turn of events and deployment work processes, empowering them to convey great PHP applications with certainty, whether you’re building sites, web applications, APIs, or other PHP projects, Docker Compose gives an adaptable and versatile answer for dealing with your PHP applications in a containerized climate, by following these prescribed procedures, PHP developers can smooth out their development processes, further develop coordinated effort, and ensure the unwavering quality and versatility of their applications. Docker Compose empowers developers to define complex application designs, manage them as a single unit, and convey them reliably across various conditions.

PHP Application Using The Docker Compose – FAQs

Is Docker compose appropriate for deploying PHP applications to production conditions?

While Docker compose is essentially utilized for development and testing conditions, it very well may be utilized underway with alert. For production deployments of PHP applications, consider utilizing orchestration apparatuses like Docker Swarm or Kubernetes, which give extra elements like adaptability, adaptation to non-critical failure, and service disclosure.

Could Docker Compose be utilized to deal with numerous PHP versions for various projects?

Yes, Docker Compose allows you to define different PHP versions in isolated Dockerfiles or Docker images for various undertakings, each project can have its own Docker Compose configuration, determining the ideal PHP adaptation and conditions.

How would I manage environment explicit arrangements, for example, database credentials, in Docker Compose for PHP applications?

Docker Compose allows you to define environment factors either straightforwardly in the docker-compose.yml record or in a different .env document, you can then reference these factors inside your PHP application code to modify its conduct in light of the climate it’s running in.

Could I utilize Docker Compose to set up a nearby improvement climate for PHP applications?

Yes, Docker Compose is ordinarily used to set up neighborhood development conditions for PHP applications, you can define services for PHP, web server (like Nginx or Apache), database, and some other conditions expected for your application in the docker-compose.yml document. This allows designers to deal with PHP projects in a steady and reproducible climate across various machines.

How might I integrate PHP conditions managed by Composer with Docker Compose?

You can incorporate Composer commands in your Dockerfile to install PHP conditions during the Docker images build process. On the other hand, you can mount a volume in the Docker container to share the composer conditions introduced on the host machine with the container.