How to host Symfony on Vultr Server - ServerAvatar

Symfony is an open-source PHP framework known for its flexibility and comprehensive features. With its extensive range of components and customization options, Symfony facilitates the creation of web solutions without requiring extensive technical knowledge. It allows developers to efficiently create and manage sophisticated web applications, providing routing, templating, and security tools. When choosing a hosting platform for Symfony, Vultr ensures reliability with its scalable infrastructure and straightforward deployment options. ServerAvatar makes deploying the Symfony application on the Vultr platform an easy step-by-step process.

Create a Cloud Instance in Vultr

To create a server in Vultr, follow the below-given steps. If you want to learn How to use Vultr to manage your infrastructure in Vultr, You can refer to our Vultr cloud guide.

Step 1: Go to the Instance Creation Page

Vultr provides different types of cloud instances. From the server creation page, you can create cloud instances such as Regular VMs, Dedicated, Bare Metal, Cloud GPUs, and some managed services.

To access the server creation page, log in to your Vultr account and click on the Deploy New Server option from the + button given on the dashboard.

Step 2: Choose the Server

You can create 4 different types of cloud instances which includes Optimised Cloud Compute, Cloud Compute, Cloud GPU, and Bare Metal. Select the one that fits your requirements.

Step 3: Choose Server Type

Based on your selection of the server in the second step, You will have to select a specific type of server. If you have selected the Optimised Cloud Compute instance, You will see the options like this as shown in the image below:

Step 4: Select Server Location

Location is a very important option. Make sure to select a server location closest to your major traffic source demographically. You can select locations in 5 different continents.

Step 5: Select Server Image

In simple terms, a Server image is an operating system running on the server. So here, You have to select an OS for your server.

If you are managing your servers with ServerAvatar, Select Ubuntu 20.04 or Ubuntu 22.04.

Step 6: Select Server Size

Here, Select a server size according to your requirements. If you are just getting started with the project, You can start with a small configuration and then upgrade it according to future requirements.

The minimum requirements for hosting Symfony are a minimum of 2GB of RAM for small to medium production environments, but more is recommended for larger production environments, especially if handling high traffic volumes or running multiple services, and a minimum of 10GB of free disk space, but more may be needed depending on the size of your asset database and logs. The exact amount will depend on your usage and data storage needs.

Step 7: Add Auto Backups and Additional Features

We recommend you to enable auto backups for important websites or apps. If you are creating a temporary server, You can skip the auto backups.

In addition to this feature, You can enable DDOS Protection and other options according to your requirements.

Do not enable the "No Public IPv4 Address" option. It will create the server without IPv4, which is impossible to connect with ServerAvatar.

Step 8: Select an SSH Key

If you use an SSH key to authenticate with the server, Select an SSH key in this section. If you haven't uploaded your key yet, You can do it by clicking on the Add New option.

SSH key is not mandatory. If you don’t want to use SSH keys, Ignore this option. You can still connect to your server by using the password.

Step 9: Firewall Group

If you are using the Vultr firewall, You can select the firewall group from here.

If you do not have the 43210 port enabled in your firewall group, you need to configure it to connect a server with ServerAvatar.

Step 10: Server Hostname and Label

In this step, you have to choose the hostname and the label for the server. You can set the same hostname and label. They are used for identification purposes only.

Step 11: Deploy Now!

Finally, click on the Deploy Now button to create a server. It might take a minute or two to fully boot up your server. Once it is ready, You will see it in the Products section in Vultr.

Initial Server Configuration

The Initial server configuration includes the installation and configuration of various packages required to host your website. Usually, You have to write commands and modify configuration files. Luckily, With ServerAvatar, Your full server configuration and optimization can be automated.

Here are the three ways to automatically configure your server with ServerAvatar.

wget https://srvr.so/install
chmod +x install
./install

Install and Setup Symfony on Cloud using ServerAvatar

Getting Started With Symfony:

Symfony is a powerful PHP framework used to develop web applications. It offers a robust set of features and tools to help streamline the development process. Whether you're building a simple blog or a complex enterprise application, Symfony provides the structure and flexibility you need. In this blog post, we will guide you through the steps to create and configure your Symfony application, ensuring you have a solid foundation to start your development journey.

Requirements:

• PHP 8.2 or higher: Symfony requires a modern version of PHP to leverage the latest features and improvements. Ensure you have PHP 8.2 or a higher version installed on your machine.

Install and Setup Symfony on Cloud using ServerAvatar:

Step 1: Create a Custom Application

• The first step is to create a new custom application. This can be done easily from your server dashboard. Navigate to the application section and click on the Create button to set up your new application.

• To proceed with the installation and deployment of Symfony, ensure you have met the prerequisites.

• Enter an Application Name of your choice.

• Specify a Domain (choose between a Test Domain or a Primary Domain).

  • Note: If you're hosting Symfony on your domain, make sure your domain is correctly pointed to your server's current IP address.

• Select a Method as a Custom from the given options. Click on the Create Application option.

Step 2: Enable SSH Credentials

• To securely access your server, you need to enable SSH credentials. SSH (Secure Shell) provides a secure way to log in to your server remotely, ensuring that your data and commands are encrypted. This step is crucial for managing your server and deploying your Symfony application.

Step 3: Login Using SSH Credentials

• Once you have your SSH credentials enabled, you can log in to your server. Open a terminal and use the following command:
  • sudo ssh {username}@{ip}
• Replace {username} with your actual username and {ip} with your server's IP address. You will be prompted to enter your password. After successful authentication, you will have remote access to your server.

Step 4: Navigate to the Application Path

• With SSH access established, navigate to your application's directory on the server. This is where you will set up your Symfony project. Use the cd command to change directories to your application's root path.

Step 5: Remove the Default index.html

• Your server might have a default index.html file in the application directory. To avoid conflicts and ensure a clean setup, remove this file by running:
  • rm -rf index.html

Step 6: Run Composer to Create a New Symfony Project

• Composer is a dependency manager for PHP that makes it easy to install and manage libraries and frameworks. Use Composer to create a new Symfony project in your current directory by executing:
  • composer create-project symfony/skeleton .

• This command downloads and sets up the basic structure of a Symfony application.

Step 7: Install Webapp Pack

• To add essential tools and features to your Symfony project, you need to install the Symfony web app pack. Run the following command:
  • composer require symfony/webapp-pack
• This package includes commonly used bundles and components that will help you develop your web application efficiently.

Step 8: Configuration Without Docker

• During the setup process, you may be prompted to configure the application with Docker. For simplicity, choose not to use Docker by entering n when prompted. This will configure Symfony to run in a traditional server environment.

Step 9: Set Custom Webroot

• Next, set the custom webroot as public for your application. This can be done from the application dashboard in the application settings. The webroot is the directory where your web server looks for the application files to serve.

Step 10: Fix Permissions

• Fix file permissions are essential for your application to run smoothly. Adjust the permissions from the application dashboard in the application settings to ensure your web server can access and modify the necessary files.

Step 11: Verify Installation

• To confirm that your Symfony installation is successful, visit your application domain in a web browser. You should see the Symfony welcome page, indicating that your setup is complete and your application is ready for development.

Step 12: Configure Environment File

• Edit the .env File: The .env file in your Symfony project contains environment-specific settings, such as database credentials and configuration options. Open this file in a text editor and update the settings according to your environment.

Step 13: Set Up the Database

• Create a Database: From the server dashboard, navigate to the databases section and create a new database. This database will store your application's data.

• Configure Database Credentials: Update the .env file with your database credentials. Replace the placeholders with your actual database information:
  • DATABASE_URL=”mysql://db_user:db_password@127.0.0.1:3306/db_name

• Run Migrations: If your Symfony application includes database migrations, run them to set up your database schema. Migrations are a way to define changes to your database structure in a version-controlled manner. Execute the following command to apply the migrations:
  • php bin/console doctrine:migrations:migrate

Conclusion:

Congratulations! You have successfully created and configured your Symfony application. With your environment set up and your database connected, you're now ready to start building your web application using Symfony's powerful tools and features. Whether you're developing a small personal project or a large-scale enterprise application, Symfony provides the flexibility and capabilities to help you achieve your goals. Enjoy your journey with Symfony!