Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a LAMP Server for PHP and Laravel Projects

There are a number of steps to do in creating a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) server for PHP and Laravel project deployment so here is a thorough guide to take you through. This is supposed to be a guide for an Ubuntu server.

1. Initial Server Setup

1. Update and Upgrade Packages:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade -y
   

2. Install Essential Packages:

   sudo apt install -y software-properties-common
   

2. Install Apache

1. Install Apache:

   sudo apt install -y apache2
   

2. Enable Apache to Start on Boot and Start Apache:

   sudo systemctl enable apache2
   sudo systemctl start apache2
   

3. Adjust Firewall to Allow Web Traffic:

   sudo ufw allow in "Apache Full"
   

3. Install MySQL

1. Install MySQL Server:

   sudo apt install -y mysql-server
   

2. Secure MySQL Installation:

   sudo mysql_secure_installation
   

   Follow the prompts to set a root password and secure your installation.

3. Create a Database and User for Laravel:

   sudo mysql -u root -p
   CREATE DATABASE laravel_db;
   CREATE USER 'laravel_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON laravel_db.* TO 'laravel_user'@'localhost';
   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
   EXIT;
   

4. Install PHP

1. Add PHP Repository:

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
   sudo apt update
   

2. Install PHP and Necessary Extensions:

   sudo apt install -y php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-cli php-curl php-zip php-gd php-mbstring php-xml php-pear php-bcmath php-json
   

3. Configure Apache to Use PHP:

   sudo a2enmod php
   sudo systemctl restart apache2
   

5. Install Composer

1. Download and Install Composer:

   curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
   sudo mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/composer
   

6. Install Laravel

1. Install Laravel Installer via Composer:

   composer global require laravel/installer
   

2. Add Composer's Global Bin Directory to Your PATH:

   echo 'export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.composer/vendor/bin"' >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc
   

3. Create a New Laravel Project:

   cd /var/www
   composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel your_project_name
   

7. Configure Apache for Laravel

1. Create a New Apache Configuration File for Your Laravel Project:

   sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/your_project_name.conf
   

2. Add the Following Configuration to the File:

   <VirtualHost *:80>
       ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
       DocumentRoot /var/www/your_project_name/public
   
       <Directory /var/www/your_project_name>
           Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
           AllowOverride All
           Require all granted
       </Directory>
   
       <Directory /var/www/your_project_name/public>
           Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
           AllowOverride All
           Require all granted
       </Directory>
   
       ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
       CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
   </VirtualHost>
   

3. Enable the New Site and Rewrite Module:

   sudo a2ensite your_project_name.conf
   sudo a2enmod rewrite
   sudo systemctl restart apache2
   

8. Set Permissions and Environment Configuration

1. Set Proper Permissions:

   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/your_project_name
   sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/your_project_name/storage
   sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/your_project_name/bootstrap/cache
   

2. Configure the Environment File:

   cd /var/www/your_project_name
   cp .env.example .env
   nano .env
   

   Update the .env file with your database credentials and other settings.

3. Generate Application Key:

   php artisan key:generate
   

9. Finalize the Setup

1. Migrate the Database:

   php artisan migrate
   

2. Set Directory Permissions for Cache and Storage:

   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data storage
   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data bootstrap/cache
   

Summary

You have a LAMP server at the moment, set up and configured the deployment of PHP and Laravel projects with the installation and configuration of Apache, MySQL, PHP, and even Composer for dependency management.

We have shown a very basic setup in the guide about how to set up a LAMP server. Most likely, you will be more strict in your configuration based on your needs, like working with SSL for secure connections, config of domains, optimization, etc.—always necessary in a production environment.