How To Deploy a PHP Application with Kubernetes

Are you ready to take your PHP application deployment to the next level? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of deploying a PHP application with Kubernetes. Kubernetes provides a powerful platform for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, and with the right know-how, you can leverage its capabilities to streamline your deployment process. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have your PHP application up and running on Kubernetes, ready to handle any scale.

Why Kubernetes?

Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for container orchestration, offering a robust set of features for deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications. With Kubernetes, you can automate deployment tasks, scale your application based on demand, and ensure high availability and resilience. Whether you’re running a small-scale application or managing a complex microservices architecture, Kubernetes provides the tools you need to deploy and manage your PHP applications with ease.

Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for container orchestration, offering a robust set of features for deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into deploying our PHP application with Kubernetes, make sure you have the following prerequisites: Docker: Install Docker Desktop or Docker Engine on your local machine or server.

Kubernetes: Set up a Kubernetes cluster. You can use a managed Kubernetes service like Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), or deploy Kubernetes locally using Minikube or kind. kubectl: Install the Kubernetes command-line tool, kubectl, to interact with your Kubernetes cluster. A PHP application:

Have a PHP application ready to deploy. You can use any PHP framework or a custom application. Once you have these prerequisites in place, you’re ready to get started!

Step 1: Containerize Your PHP Application

The first step is to containerize your PHP application using Docker. Create a Dockerfile in the root directory of your PHP application with the f

# Use the official PHP image as a base
FROM php:7.4-apache

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

# Copy the PHP application files to the working directory
COPY . .

# Expose port 80
EXPOSE 80

# Start the Apache server
CMD ["apache2-foreground"]

This Dockerfile defines a Docker image for your PHP application based on the official PHP image with Apache. It sets the working directory, copies your PHP application files, exposes port 80 (the default port for HTTP), and starts the Apache server. Build your Docker image by running the following command in the root directory of your PHP application:

docker build -t my-php-app .

This command builds a Docker image with the tag my-php-app.

Step 2: Deploy Your PHP Application with Kubernetes

Now that we have containerized our PHP application, let’s deploy it to Kubernetes. Create a Kubernetes deployment YAML file (e.g., php-app-deployment.yaml) with the following content:

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: php-app
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: php-app
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: php-app
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: php-app
        image: my-php-app
        ports:
        - containerPort: 80

This Kubernetes deployment definition creates a deployment named php-app with three replicas, each running a container based on the my-php-app Docker image. It exposes port 80 for HTTP traffic.

Apply the deployment YAML file to your Kubernetes cluster using kubectl:

kubectl apply -f php-app-deployment.yaml

This command deploys your PHP application to Kubernetes. Step 3: Expose Your PHP Application To access your PHP application from outside the Kubernetes cluster, you need to expose it using a Kubernetes service. Create a Kubernetes service YAML file (e.g., php-app-service.yaml) with the following content:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: php-app
spec:
  selector:
    app: php-app
  ports:
    - protocol: TCP
      port: 80
      targetPort: 80
  type: LoadBalancer

This Kubernetes service definition creates a service named php-app that exposes port 80 and forwards traffic to the pods running the PHP application. Apply the service YAML file to your Kubernetes cluster:

kubectl apply -f php-app-service.yaml

Step 4: Access Your PHP Application

Once the service is created, you can access your PHP application using the external IP address of the Kubernetes service. Use the following command to get the external IP address:

kubectl get svc php-app

Open your web browser and navigate to the external IP address to access your PHP application. And there you have it! You’ve successfully deployed your PHP application with Kubernetes. With Kubernetes, you can easily scale your application, handle traffic spikes, and ensure high availability.

Happy coding!