Step 1: Install Docker and Docker Compose

First, ensure Docker is installed on your Ubuntu server. You can do this by running the following commands:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install docker.io

Next, install Docker Compose:

sudo apt install docker-compose

Docker and Docker Compose are essential for setting up Laravel in a containerized environment. This setup is suitable for local development or for hosting on a UK Windows VPS.

Step 2: Set Up Laravel Project

Create a new directory for your Laravel project and use Docker to pull a Laravel image. First, clone the Laravel GitHub repository or set up a new Laravel project using the following Docker command:

docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/app composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel my-laravel-app

This command will download Laravel into your project directory. For hosting on a Windows VPS hosting UK or other virtual private servers, you can easily replicate this process on the remote machine.

Step 3: Create a Docker Compose File

Next, create a docker-compose.yml file in your project directory. This file defines the services needed to run your Laravel application, such as PHP, MySQL, and Nginx. Add the following content:

version: '3'
services:
  app:
    image: php:8.0-fpm
    container_name: laravel_app
    working_dir: /var/www
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www
    networks:
      - laravel

  webserver:
    image: nginx:alpine
    container_name: laravel_web
    working_dir: /var/www
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www
      - ./docker/nginx:/etc/nginx/conf.d
    ports:
      - "8000:80"
    networks:
      - laravel

  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    container_name: laravel_db
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root
      MYSQL_DATABASE: laravel
      MYSQL_USER: user
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: password
    volumes:
      - dbdata:/var/lib/mysql
    networks:
      - laravel

networks:
  laravel:
    driver: bridge

volumes:
  dbdata:
    driver: local
            

This file configures the Laravel application to run in a Docker container with MySQL and Nginx. Whether you're running on a Windows Virtual Private Server hosting or another server, Docker Compose simplifies the process.

Step 4: Start the Containers

Now that your Docker Compose file is set up, start the containers by running:

docker-compose up -d

This command will pull the necessary Docker images, build the containers, and run your Laravel application. You can now access your Laravel application at http://localhost:8000 or the IP of your server. This setup works seamlessly, even if hosted on a UK VPS Windows.

Step 5: Mirror Your Laravel Setup with rsync

To ensure that your Laravel application is mirrored across different servers, you can use rsync. This helps to keep the same codebase on multiple servers, especially useful if you're managing multiple VPS Windows Servers or have a backup environment.

To mirror your Laravel project, run:

rsync -avz /path/to/laravel/ user@remote-server:/path/to/destination/

This command synchronizes your Laravel project from the local machine to a remote server. You can automate this process for regular backups or deployment to multiple servers.

Step 6: Additional Configuration for Production

For a production environment, you may want to configure environment variables, SSL certificates, and proper file permissions. Whether you're hosting on a Windows VPS hosting UK or another environment, it's crucial to follow security best practices.