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Point Apache at Laravel’s public/ directory—not the project root—allow the shipped rewrite rules, give the PHP process write access to storage/ and bootstrap/cache/, and make DNS, the virtual host and TLS certificate use the same hostname. That combination prevents the most common 404, 403 and insecure-file-exposure failures on a Linux VPS.
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What a correct Laravel–Apache deployment looks like
A Laravel application has one public entry point: public/index.php. Apache should expose that directory as the site’s document root. The rest of the release—.env, vendor/, framework files, tests and deployment metadata—must remain outside the web root.
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Requests for real assets such as CSS, JavaScript and images can be served directly from public/. Requests for application routes such as /login or /orders/42 are handed to public/index.php by the rewrite rules in Laravel’s public/.htaccess. Apache therefore needs both mod_rewrite and permission to read the .htaccess directives.
The procedure below assumes a conventional Ubuntu-style Apache installation and a release at /var/www/example.com. Substitute your real hostname, release user and PHP handler. The project’s own composer.json and composer.lock remain the final authority for versions and dependencies.
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Check requirements before touching Apache
Do this first. A perfectly written virtual host cannot make an application run with an incompatible PHP runtime or missing extension.
PHP and extensions
Laravel 13’s current deployment baseline is PHP 8.3 or newer with Ctype, cURL, DOM, Fileinfo, Filter, Hash, Mbstring, OpenSSL, PCRE, PDO, Session, Tokenizer and XML. An older Laravel major may support an older PHP version, while a project may impose a newer one through its lock file or dependency constraints.
| Check | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| PHP version | Must satisfy the application’s Laravel and package constraints. | php -v |
| Loaded extensions | Missing extensions commonly produce Composer errors or runtime 500 responses. | php -m |
| Composer | Installs the exact dependency graph recorded by the project. | composer --version |
| Apache | Serves the virtual host and passes PHP requests to the configured PHP handler. | apachectl -v |
| Database client and server access | Laravel may boot successfully but fail on the first database query if credentials, network access or the required PHP database driver are absent. | Verify the project’s selected database and connection from the VPS. |
Do not install a PHP version merely because it is available in the distribution repository. Compare the VPS runtime with the project’s declared requirements first. If you change PHP versions, verify both the command-line binary used by Composer and the PHP handler Apache actually uses; they can be different installations.
Prepare the application directory and release
Use a non-root administrative or deployment account for application files. A typical layout is:
/var/www/example.com/
├── app/
├── bootstrap/
├── config/
├── public/
├── resources/
├── routes/
├── storage/
├── vendor/
├── .env
└── artisanKeep the checkout and release files in this private application directory. Only /var/www/example.com/public will be exposed by Apache.
Install dependencies from the lock file
After copying or checking out the release, install production dependencies from the project root:
cd /var/www/example.com
composer install --no-dev --prefer-dist --optimize-autoloaderThe lock file makes this repeatable. Do not run a dependency update during a routine deployment unless changing dependencies is intentional. If the project has a frontend build, run the production build specified by its package files and release process; do not assume a particular Node.js version.
Keep releases and secrets out of the public directory
Never set Apache’s document root to /var/www/example.com. Doing so can expose source files, dependency metadata and configuration backups. Even when Apache refuses some extensions, relying on that behavior is unsafe: a backup with an unexpected extension or a misconfigured handler can disclose secrets.
Create the production .env safely
Place .env at the application root, alongside artisan, not inside public/. Create it from the project’s example file or your deployment secret store. At minimum, set the production environment, canonical URL, application key, database connection, cache and session drivers, queue connection, mail transport and application-specific secrets.
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APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://example.comAPP_DEBUG=false is essential on an Internet-facing server. Debug pages can disclose stack traces, paths, configuration details and request data.
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Generate an application key only when this is a new installation with no existing encrypted data:
php artisan key:generateDo not rotate an established key casually. Existing encrypted cookies, tokens or database values may become unreadable after a rotation. Keep .env out of version control and restrict its filesystem permissions to the deployment and application accounts that need it.
Configure DNS before troubleshooting hostname behavior
Create an A or AAAA record for the exact hostname users will visit, such as example.com and, if used, www.example.com. The record must resolve to the VPS address. A virtual host cannot receive a request that DNS sends elsewhere.
Check resolution from a network outside the VPS, then test the site by hostname rather than only by IP address. Apache selects among name-based virtual hosts using the request’s hostname and the configured ServerName and ServerAlias. Testing by IP can therefore show the wrong site even when the intended vhost is correct.
Point Apache at Laravel’s public/ directory
Create a site configuration at /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.conf:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com/public
<Directory /var/www/example.com/public>
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
Options FollowSymLinks
</Directory>
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example-error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/example-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>Why each directive is there
DocumentRoot: maps URL paths to files under Laravel’spublic/directory. This is the security boundary that keeps the project root private.ServerNameandServerAlias: identify the hostnames this vhost should answer.AllowOverride All: permits Laravel’s shippedpublic/.htaccessto supply rewrite rules. A stricter policy can allow only the override classes required by those rules, but an overly restrictive setting will make the file appear to be ignored.Require all granted: authorizes Apache to serve this directory.Options FollowSymLinks: supports the conventional public-storage symlink. Keep only the options your deployment needs.
Apache’s DocumentRoot is not the same as the directory containing your Git checkout. For Laravel it should end in /public.
Enable the site and URL rewriting
Enable the rewrite module and the new vhost, then validate the configuration before reloading:
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo a2ensite example.com.conf
sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf
sudo apachectl configtest
sudo systemctl reload apache2Disable the default site only if it would otherwise catch the request or create ambiguity. apachectl configtest must report a successful syntax check before you reload. If it reports a line number, fix that configuration error first rather than repeatedly reloading Apache.
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To see how Apache parsed enabled virtual hosts, run:
sudo apachectl -SConfirm that the expected hostname, port and configuration file appear in the output.
Make only the required directories writable
Laravel needs write access to storage/ and bootstrap/cache/. Logs, compiled views, framework caches and runtime files are written there. The rest of the application should remain read-only to the web process whenever practical.
The correct account depends on the distribution and PHP handler; www-data is common on Ubuntu, but inspect the active Apache and PHP configuration before changing ownership. A deployment user can own the release while sharing a group with the web process. Grant group write permission only to the two required directories.
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sudo chown -R deploy:www-data /var/www/example.com
sudo find /var/www/example.com/storage /var/www/example.com/bootstrap/cache
-type d -exec chmod 2775 {} ;
sudo find /var/www/example.com/storage /var/www/example.com/bootstrap/cache
-type f -exec chmod 0664 {} ;Adjust the commands to your release strategy and umask. The important properties are that Apache/PHP can traverse the parent directories, create and modify runtime files in those two locations, and cannot write arbitrary application source. Never use chmod -R 777 as a substitute for fixing ownership; it makes local data readable and writable by every account and conceals the underlying mistake.
Publish files from Laravel’s public disk
If the application stores user-uploaded files on Laravel’s public disk, create the documented link from the project root:
php artisan storage:linkThis links the public path to the corresponding directory under storage/app/public. Ensure the target and every parent directory are traversable by the web process, and apply application-level authorization before exposing sensitive uploads.
Run deployment tasks and build production caches
Once .env, dependencies and permissions are correct, apply database migrations according to the project’s release policy. Some teams require an explicit approval or backup before running a destructive migration; Apache configuration does not determine that policy.
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php artisan config:cache
php artisan event:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cacheRun only the commands supported by the application. A route that uses unsupported closure patterns, for example, can prevent route caching. Test the command output as part of the release rather than discovering a cache failure on the first web request.
After config:cache, Laravel does not load .env directly during ordinary runtime calls. Use env() inside configuration files, and read configuration values through Laravel’s configuration system in application code. If you change an environment value, clear and rebuild the configuration cache during deployment instead of expecting a running process to notice automatically.
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Verify HTTP before adding HTTPS
Open http://example.com and test the home page, one application route, a static asset, a form submission and any health endpoint your project provides. Confirm that the request reaches this application rather than a default Apache page.
Check the access and error logs while making a request:
sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/example-access.log /var/log/apache2/example-error.logDo not begin certificate troubleshooting until DNS and the port-80 vhost work. ACME validation needs to reach the hostname over HTTP, and a certificate for a different hostname will not fix a virtual-host mismatch.
Add HTTPS with a certificate issued for the same hostname
Use an ACME client such as Certbot or another maintained client to obtain and renew the certificate. Let the client write the certificate paths and renewal hooks it generated; do not copy hard-coded paths from another server.
A separate port-80 redirect vhost can look like this:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
Redirect permanent / https://example.com/
</VirtualHost>The ACME challenge at /.well-known/acme-challenge/ must remain reachable during validation. If your redirect or access rules block that path, use the ACME client’s documented webroot or temporary validation behavior instead of guessing at exclusions.
After the client creates or updates the port-443 vhost, validate and reload Apache:
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sudo systemctl reload apache2Confirm that the certificate covers every hostname you publish, that the application’s APP_URL uses the HTTPS hostname, and that assets and form endpoints do not remain on insecure HTTP URLs.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely cause | Checks and fix |
|---|---|---|
| Apache shows its default page | DNS, enabled-site order or hostname mismatch. | Verify DNS; check ServerName and ServerAlias; run sudo apachectl -S; enable the intended site and disable a conflicting default site. |
| The home page works but every other Laravel route returns 404 | Apache is not applying Laravel’s front-controller rewrite. | Confirm DocumentRoot ends in /public, run sudo a2enmod rewrite, ensure AllowOverride All (or an equivalent rewrite-enabled policy), and verify that public/.htaccess exists. |
| 403 Forbidden | Apache cannot traverse a parent directory or the directory authorization is wrong. | Check execute permission on every parent directory, the <Directory> block, Require all granted, and the Apache error log. Do not solve it by making the entire tree world-writable. |
| 500 response or “failed to open stream” | PHP fatal error, missing extension, dependency failure or unwritable runtime directory. | Read the vhost error log, compare php -m with project requirements, confirm vendor/ exists, and test write access to storage/ and bootstrap/cache/. |
Changes in .env appear ignored |
Configuration was cached or a long-running process still holds old values. | Clear and rebuild Laravel’s configuration cache through the deployment process, keep env() calls in configuration files, and restart workers or other persistent services. |
| Uploaded images return 404 | The public storage link is missing or points to an inaccessible target. | Run php artisan storage:link, verify the link target, and check traversal permissions and the disk selected by the application. |
| Certificate issuance fails | The hostname does not resolve publicly, port 80 reaches another vhost, or the challenge path is blocked. | Resolve the hostname from outside the VPS, test the port-80 vhost, and ensure /.well-known/acme-challenge/ is available to the ACME client. |
| HTTPS loads the wrong site | The port-443 vhost does not match the requested hostname or the certificate covers a different name. | Inspect apachectl -S, verify the 443 ServerName/ServerAlias, and inspect the certificate’s names in a browser or TLS diagnostic. |
Choose the operating model that fits your team
A self-managed Apache VPS gives you direct control over the operating system, Apache modules, PHP versions, firewall, process supervisor, backups and deployment pipeline. It also makes you responsible for patching, monitoring, certificate renewal, queue reliability, capacity planning and recovery testing.
A managed Laravel-oriented VPS control plane can automate parts of server provisioning, deployments and process management while still using VPS infrastructure. A managed cloud platform can remove most host administration and provide automated scaling, but it gives you less control over the underlying Apache and operating system details. Verify current features, regions, eligibility and pricing separately before choosing either model.
| Decision axis | Self-managed Apache VPS | Managed VPS control plane | Managed cloud platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS and Apache control | Highest; you administer modules, vhosts and PHP handlers. | Moderate; common settings are automated while server access remains available. | Lowest; platform conventions replace most host-level configuration. |
| Operational workload | You handle patches, logs, backups, certificates and incident response. | Some provisioning and deployment work is delegated. | Most infrastructure operations are delegated, but application configuration remains yours. |
| Scaling model | Manual resizing or your own multi-server design. | Usually VPS-oriented scaling and additional server management. | Designed for managed or automatic scaling, subject to platform limits. |
| Queues and workers | Configure Supervisor, systemd or another process manager yourself. | Often integrated into deployment workflows. | Use the platform’s worker and service model. |
| Backups and recovery | Entirely your responsibility, including restore tests. | May be assisted, but verify scope and retention. | Platform facilities may exist; confirm what is backed up and how data is restored. |
Production readiness checklist
- The application’s PHP version and required extensions match its Composer constraints.
- Apache’s
DocumentRootis exactly the Laravelpublic/directory. mod_rewriteis enabled and thepublic/.htaccessrules are allowed.- DNS resolves every published hostname to the VPS, and the vhost names match those hostnames.
APP_DEBUG=falseis set, secrets are not committed, and an existing encryption key was not replaced accidentally.- The web process can write to
storage/andbootstrap/cache/but the whole application tree is not world-writable. - Dependencies were installed from
composer.lock; frontend assets were built using the project’s documented process. - Required migrations, cache commands and worker restarts are part of a deliberate release procedure.
- The public storage link exists when the application uses Laravel’s public disk.
- HTTP works before HTTPS is enabled; the certificate covers the exact hostname; renewal has been tested.
- Apache logs, PHP logs, application logs, backups and restore procedures are accessible to the operators responsible for the VPS.
Common configuration mistakes to avoid
- Using the project root as
DocumentRoot: this defeats Laravel’s intended public boundary. - Enabling rewrites but denying overrides:
mod_rewritealone is insufficient when the rules live in.htaccess. - Changing permissions recursively to 777: this creates a security problem and does not establish correct ownership.
- Generating a new key on every deployment: encrypted data can become unusable.
- Reading
env()throughout application code after caching configuration: those calls can return unexpected values. - Requesting a certificate before DNS is correct: ACME validation cannot reach a hostname that points elsewhere.
- Reloading Apache but not workers: queue and persistent application processes can continue using old code or configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should Apache’s DocumentRoot point to Laravel’s project folder?
No. Set it to the project’s public/ directory so source files, .env and dependencies remain outside the web root.
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Why do Laravel URLs return 404 while the home page works?
Apache is usually not applying Laravel’s front-controller rewrite. Check mod_rewrite, the public/.htaccess file, the /public document root and the directory’s override policy.
Which Laravel directories need write permission?
The PHP process needs write access to storage/ and bootstrap/cache/. Keep other application files as restrictive as your deployment permits.
When should HTTPS be configured?
After DNS resolves to the VPS and the HTTP virtual host serves the correct application. ACME validation needs the hostname and challenge path to be reachable first.
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