Server Installation for PHP Applications

For PHP developers, server installation skills involve setting up, configuring, and maintaining the web server environment required to host modern PHP applications. This is a fundamental DevOps and system administration task often expected of senior or full-stack developers, especially in teams without a dedicated operations role.

Core Responsibilities

The process typically starts with a bare Linux server. Responsibilities include installing a web server like Nginx or Apache, the PHP interpreter itself (often using PHP-FPM), and a database server such as MySQL or PostgreSQL. This is followed by crucial configuration steps, like setting up virtual hosts, tuning php.ini for performance and security, and enabling necessary PHP extensions.

Essential Skills and Technologies

A developer proficient in server installation is comfortable working in a command-line environment. They use package managers like apt or yum to install software and are skilled in securing the server by configuring firewalls and user permissions.

Common Server Stack Components:

• Web Servers: Apache, Nginx
• PHP Process Managers: PHP-FPM
• Databases: MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL
• Caching Layers: Redis, Memcached
• Containerization Tools: Docker for creating reproducible environments