Introduction

Laravel is a popular PHP framework designed for web developers who need an elegant, simple, and fast solution for building dynamic web applications. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install the Laravel PHP framework on AlmaLinux 9. Whether you are hosting your application on a Windows VPS UK or any other VPS hosting solution, Laravel provides an efficient environment for web development.

Prerequisites

• A server running AlmaLinux 9 with root access.
• A LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) installed.
• A VPS hosting service such as UK Windows VPS.

Step 1: Update Your System

Before you begin, update your AlmaLinux 9 system by running the following commands:

sudo dnf update -y
        

This ensures that your server is running the latest packages and security patches, which is important whether you're using a Virtueller Server or a Windows Server VPS from Windows VPS Hosting UK.

Step 2: Install Apache, MySQL, and PHP

Laravel requires a web server, a database, and PHP. Use the following commands to install Apache, MySQL, and PHP on AlmaLinux 9:

sudo dnf install httpd mysql-server php php-mysqlnd php-xml php-mbstring php-zip php-json php-curl -y
        

After installing, start and enable Apache and MySQL:

sudo systemctl start httpd
sudo systemctl enable httpd
sudo systemctl start mysqld
sudo systemctl enable mysqld
        

With these services running, your server is now ready to handle Laravel. Hosting your Laravel application on a Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting or VPS Windows Servers ensures high performance and security.

Step 3: Install Composer

Composer is a dependency manager for PHP, and it’s required to install Laravel. Run the following commands to install Composer:

php -r "copy('https://getcomposer.org/installer', 'composer-setup.php');"
php composer-setup.php --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer
php -r "unlink('composer-setup.php');"
        

Verify that Composer is installed by running:

composer --version
        

Composer will help manage Laravel dependencies efficiently, especially in a production environment like Windows VPS Hosting UK or other VPS solutions.

Step 4: Install Laravel

Now that Composer is installed, use it to install Laravel. First, navigate to your web directory and install Laravel:

cd /var/www/html
composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-laravel-app
        

Replace my-laravel-app with your preferred project name. This will download and set up Laravel in the specified directory. After installation, set the correct permissions:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/my-laravel-app
sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/my-laravel-app
        

These steps are essential to ensure your Laravel app runs smoothly, especially when using a VPS solution like UK Windows VPS.

Step 5: Configure Apache for Laravel

Next, create a virtual host file to configure Apache for your Laravel project:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/laravel.conf
        

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/my-laravel-app/public

    <Directory /var/www/html/my-laravel-app/public>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
        

Save the file and restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart httpd
        

Ensure your domain is correctly set up, and Laravel will now be served through Apache. Whether you're using Windows VPS Italy or other VPS solutions, proper Apache configuration is key to a successful Laravel deployment.

Step 6: Set Up Laravel Environment

Laravel’s configuration settings are stored in the .env file. Open this file and configure the database settings to match the MySQL database you’ll use:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=laravel
DB_USERNAME=laravel_user
DB_PASSWORD=your_password
        

Make sure the database and user exist. If you're using a Virtual Private Server Hosting Windows service, these configurations ensure that your Laravel application is secure and efficient.

Step 7: Finalize the Installation

Run the following Artisan commands to finalize the installation:

cd /var/www/html/my-laravel-app
php artisan key:generate
php artisan migrate
        

The key:generate command will set the application’s encryption key, while migrate runs the database migrations. Now your Laravel installation is complete and ready for use, whether hosted on a UK VPS Windows or any other hosting platform.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you’ve successfully installed the Laravel PHP framework on AlmaLinux 9. Laravel provides developers with powerful tools to build modern web applications. For reliable hosting solutions, consider using a Windows VPS UK, offering excellent performance and scalability for your Laravel applications.