Using Docker to Launch a PHP Project

Docker is an incredible tool that allows you to package your application and all its dependencies into a single container, ensuring consistent and reliable deployment across various environments. Let's get started!

Step 1: Install Docker

If you haven't already installed Docker on your system, head over to the official Docker website (https://www.docker.com/get-started) and follow the installation instructions for your operating system.

Step 2: Pull the Required Image

Before we dive into launching our PHP project, we need to pull the Docker image that includes both PHP and Nginx. We'll use the webdevops/php-nginx image, which combines PHP with the Nginx web server.

Open your terminal and enter the following command to pull the image:

docker pull webdevops/php-nginx

Step 3: Start the PHP Project Container

Now that we have the necessary image, it's time to launch our PHP project in a Docker container. Replace the placeholders with your own values and run the following command:

docker run -itd --name my-proj-name -p 10089:80 -v /var/www/html:/app webdevops/php-nginx

Here's what the command does:

• docker run: Instructs Docker to run a container based on the provided image.
• -itd: These options make the container run interactively in the background (detached mode).
• --name my-proj-name: Assigns the name "my-proj-name" to the container. You can replace "my-proj-name" with a name of your choice.
• -p 10089:80: Maps port 10089 of your host machine to port 80 inside the container. You can change 10089 to any available port of your preference.
• -v /var/www/html:/app: Mounts the local directory /var/www/html containing your PHP code (including the index.php file) to the /app directory inside the container.

Step 4: Access Your PHP Project

Great job! Your PHP project is now up and running inside the Docker container. To access it, open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:10089 (or the custom port you specified).

In this article, we explored how to use Docker to start a PHP project with Nginx. Docker simplifies the deployment process, ensuring that your application runs consistently across different environments. With your PHP project now containerized, you can easily share it with others or deploy it to various servers without worrying about compatibility issues.