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How to Accelerate PHP Application Deployment Using Docker Compose, Nginx, and MariaDB

M66 2025-06-29

Introduction

With the widespread adoption of cloud computing and container technologies, more and more developers are focusing on how to quickly deploy and scale applications. In PHP development, combining Docker Compose, Nginx, and MariaDB can significantly speed up the deployment of applications. This article will guide you through the process of using these tools to quickly set up and manage PHP application development environments.

Introduction to Docker Compose

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. By using a configuration file, we can define, run, and stop an entire application at once. Docker Compose greatly simplifies the deployment process and provides container orchestration and scaling capabilities.

Nginx as a Web Server

Nginx is a high-performance open-source web server, commonly used for reverse proxying and load balancing. Using Nginx as a web server in PHP applications not only enhances performance but also supports high concurrent connections.

Configuration Example

Here is a simple Docker Compose configuration example, showing how to run PHP applications with Nginx and PHP-FPM:

version: "3.7"
services:
  web:
    image: nginx:latest
    ports:
      - 80:80
    volumes:
      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
      - ./code:/var/www/html
  php:
    image: php:latest
    volumes:
      - ./code:/var/www/html

In this configuration, the web service uses the Nginx image, mapping port 80 from the container to the host. The php service uses the PHP image and mounts the code directory.

Using MariaDB as a Database

MariaDB is a high-performance, open-source database management system, a fork of MySQL, offering better reliability and additional features. Using MariaDB as the database for PHP applications enhances data access speed and improves database management capabilities.

Database Configuration Example

Here is a simple configuration example, demonstrating how to combine MariaDB with Nginx and PHP:

version: "3.7"
services:
  web:
    image: nginx:latest
    ports:
      - 80:80
    volumes:
      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
      - ./code:/var/www/html
  php:
    image: php:latest
    volumes:
      - ./code:/var/www/html
  db:
    image: mariadb:latest
    environment:
      - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=yourpassword
    volumes:
      - ./data:/var/lib/mysql

In this configuration, we added a db service using the MariaDB image, setting the root user password. Database data is stored in the container's /var/lib/mysql directory.

Deploying and Managing with Docker Compose

Once the Docker Compose configuration is in place, you can quickly deploy and manage the PHP application using the following command:

docker-compose up -d

To stop all containers:

docker-compose down

If you need to scale services, simply modify the replica count in the docker-compose.yml file and use the following command to scale:

docker-compose up -d --scale web=3 --scale php=3

Conclusion

By using Docker Compose, Nginx, and MariaDB, you can quickly set up and manage a PHP application development environment. This approach not only accelerates deployment but also provides excellent scalability and high performance. With containerization, you can easily deploy and efficiently manage PHP applications.