How do I host a Laravel site?

Prerequisites for Laravel Hosting

Hosting a Laravel application requires a Linux-based server environment that supports PHP 8.1 or higher, a compatible database system, and a web server like Nginx or Apache. Laravel is a PHP framework, so the server must have the necessary PHP extensions installed, such as mbstring, openssl, pdo, tokenizer, and xml. At HostingDuty, our VPS and cloud hosting plans come pre-configured with these requirements, allowing you to deploy Laravel apps without manual setup.

Deployment Steps

1. Upload Your Code: Use FTP, SFTP, or Git to transfer your Laravel project files to your server. Ensure the public directory is set as the web root in your web server configuration. This is critical because Laravel's entry point is public/index.php, not the root directory.

2. Configure Web Server: For Nginx, add a server block that directs all requests to the public folder. For Apache, ensure .htaccess rules are enabled to handle Laravel's routing. You can find detailed configuration examples in our Nginx vs Apache for Laravel guide.

3. Set Up Database: Create a database and user in your hosting control panel. Update your .env file with the correct database credentials. Laravel uses Eloquent ORM, so ensure your database driver is set to mysql or pgsql accordingly.

4. Environment Configuration: Set the APP_ENV variable to production in your .env file. Run php artisan config:cache and php artisan route:cache to optimize performance. These commands are covered in our Laravel caching guide.

5. Security Hardening: Ensure your .env file is not publicly accessible. Disable directory listing and enable HTTPS using Let's Encrypt. HostingDuty provides free SSL certificates for all hosting plans, which you can activate via our SSL setup guide.

Common Pitfalls

• Incorrect Web Root: Pointing the web root to the project root instead of public will expose sensitive files.
• Missing PHP Extensions: Laravel will fail to start if required extensions like mbstring or openssl are missing.
• File Permissions: Incorrect file permissions can prevent Laravel from writing to storage or cache directories. Use chmod and chown to set proper permissions.

For more detailed instructions, refer to our Laravel deployment tutorial and Laravel environment variables. If you encounter issues, our Laravel troubleshooting FAQ covers common errors and solutions.

HostingDuty Support

If you need assistance with hosting your Laravel site, our support team can help with server configuration, database setup, and performance optimization. We offer 24/7 support for all hosting plans, ensuring your Laravel application runs smoothly.

External Resources

• Laravel Documentation
• PHP Official Site