PHP Dev Center

PHP Developer’s Center

The PHP Developer’s Center introduces PHP cloud hosting on the platform, including available PHP versions, supported application servers, deployment methods, domain management, scaling, clustering, database connectivity, extensions, accelerators, and security.

In this article
PHP cloud hosting
PHP hosting capabilities available on the platform.

PHP Versions

The platform provides several current PHP releases. At the time reflected by the source page, the listed versions are:

  • PHP 8.1.33
  • PHP 8.2.32
  • PHP 8.3.32
  • PHP 8.4.23
  • PHP 8.5.8

Select the required PHP engine during environment creation. The version can be changed later through the platform interface.

PHP environment creation
Choose the PHP application server and engine version in the topology wizard.
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Version availability changes

Use the regularly updated Software Stack Versions document to confirm which PHP releases are available before creating or redeploying a production environment.

PHP Application Servers

Two PHP application servers are provided and maintained by the platform:

Apache PHPApache-based PHP hosting with support for modules, virtual hosts, WebDAV, statistics, security configuration, and frontend use cases.
NGINX PHPNGINX-based PHP hosting with security controls, modules, WebDAV, and application-level caching options.
PHP application-server file manager
Edit supported PHP application-server configuration files through Configuration Manager.

PHP Application Deployment

PHP applications can be deployed from an archive or URL, from Git or SVN, or from supported repository services. Automatic periodic redeployment can also be enabled so the platform updates the application only when repository changes are detected.

Certified PHP nodes include Composer for installing and updating project dependencies.

PHP application deployment
Deploy PHP projects from archives, URLs, or version-control repositories.

Domain Management

  • Bind a custom external domain to replace the default environment URL.
  • Use domain swapping to move a production domain between environments with minimal interruption.
  • Host multiple domains on one PHP server when the application-server configuration supports it.
PHP domain management
Bind, swap, and manage domains for PHP environments.

Automatic Vertical Scaling

Automatic vertical scaling changes the RAM and CPU allocated to a PHP server according to real demand. Set the upper Cloudlet limit in the topology wizard. One Cloudlet represents 128 MiB of RAM and 400 MHz of CPU.

The container consumes fewer resources when demand is low and scales up within the configured limit when load increases.

PHP automatic vertical scaling
Set the maximum Cloudlet limit for dynamic RAM and CPU allocation.

Manual and Automatic Horizontal Scaling

Manual Horizontal Scaling

Open Change Environment Topology and increase the number of PHP application-server instances. Adding extra nodes automatically enables load balancing.

PHP manual horizontal scaling
Increase the number of PHP application-server nodes in the topology wizard.

Automatic Horizontal Scaling

Automatic scaling triggers can monitor CPU, RAM, network, or disk usage. Configure the required condition, monitoring duration, and node adjustment under Settings → Monitoring → Auto Horizontal Scaling.

PHP automatic horizontal scaling
Configure resource-based triggers that add or remove PHP nodes automatically.

PHP Clustering

PHP session clustering can improve availability and failover across several application-server nodes. The documented design uses sticky sessions and a Memcached node to store session backups.

When a PHP layer is scaled out, built-in data synchronization copies the deployed application files and configuration to the additional application-server nodes.

The platform also provides pre-packaged WordPress and Magento cluster solutions and supports packaging other PHP applications for automated clustered installation.

PHP clustering scheme
A Memcached node stores session backups for a scaled PHP application-server layer.

Database Connection to PHP Applications

Managed database servers can be added to a PHP environment and connected through the application’s database configuration. The source page specifically references connection workflows for:

  • MySQL, MariaDB, and compatible databases
  • PostgreSQL

Modules and Accelerators

PHP functionality can be extended by enabling built-in extensions or uploading custom modules. PHP accelerators improve performance by caching compiled PHP code so it can be executed more quickly on later requests.

  • Add custom Apache modules
  • Configure Apache WebDAV
  • Enable Apache statistics
  • Configure NGINX WebDAV
  • Integrate New Relic monitoring

PHP Security

  • Use SSL/TLS to encrypt traffic between browsers and the web server.
  • Harden the PHP runtime through appropriate php.ini settings.
  • Apply Apache- or NGINX-specific security configuration.
  • Use Container Firewall rules to control internal and external node access.
PHP container firewall
Use Container Firewall rules to control access to PHP environment nodes.

Expected Result

A PHP environment can be created with the required engine version, Apache or NGINX application server, deployment method, domain configuration, scaling policy, session-clustering design, database connection, extensions, accelerators, and security controls.

Important Notes

  • Confirm current PHP versions in the regularly updated Software Stack Versions document.
  • The maximum number of same-type nodes depends on the hosting provider and is commonly limited to 16 unless support changes the quota.
  • Adding additional PHP application-server nodes automatically enables load balancing.
  • Session clustering requires suitable session storage and routing configuration.
  • Use Composer to manage project dependencies on certified PHP nodes.
  • Test PHP extensions and php.ini changes before applying them to production.