Install Symfony 5 on Ubuntu with Apache

Installing 💿 Symfony 5 on Ubuntu with Apache sets up a working PHP development environment using version 5 of the Symfony framework and the Apache web server. This setup lets you run and test modern PHP web applications on an Ubuntu system.

Step 1Install the Apache2 Web Server

Apache2 installation on Ubuntu for your Symfony 5 project starts by updating your system packages and running the apt install command in your terminal. You use systemctl commands to control the Apache2 web server, making sure it starts automatically when your computer boots up.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Use these commands to manage the server:

sudo systemctl stop apache2.service
sudo systemctl start apache2.service
sudo systemctl enable apache2.service

Check if it works by opening your web browser and typing:

http://localhost

Step 2Install PHP

PHP 7.2 installation on Ubuntu for Symfony 5 requires adding a software PPA repository and installing 💿 the core PHP package along with the required Apache module and extensions. These packages ensure your Ubuntu system has the correct environment to run Symfony 5 without errors.

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php

sudo apt update

sudo apt install php7.2 libapache2-mod-php7.2 php7.2-common php7.2-sqlite3 php7.2-mysql php7.2-gmp php7.2-curl php7.2-intl php7.2-mbstring php7.2-xmlrpc php7.2-soap php7.2-ldap php7.2-gd php7.2-bcmath php7.2-xml php7.2-cli php7.2-zip

Now, edit your PHP configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/apache2/php.ini

Update the file with these settings and save your changes:

file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
short_open_tag = On
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 100M
max_execution_time = 360
date.timezone = America/Chicago

Restart Apache to apply the new settings:

sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

Create a test file to make sure PHP is working correctly:

sudo nano /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

Add this code to the file and save:

<?php phpinfo( ); ?>

Open your browser and visit:

http://localhost/phpinfo.php

Step 3Download Symfony

Composer (a tool that manages PHP code packages) installation on Ubuntu allows you to download and set up your Symfony 5 project files in your web directory. You install curl and git first, run the official Composer installer script, and move the binary to your local bin folder.

sudo apt install curl git
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | sudo php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

Navigate to your web directory (e.g., `/var/www/html`) and create your project folder:

cd /var/www/
sudo composer create-project symfony/skeleton symfony5

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/symfony5/
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/symfony5/

Step 4Configure Apache

Apache configuration for Symfony 5 on Ubuntu involves creating a new virtual host configuration file in the sites-available directory using the nano text editor. This file tells the Apache web server where to find your project files and how to handle incoming traffic for your domain.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/symfony.conf

Make sure to update your domain name and folder path:

<VirtualHost *:80>
     ServerAdmin admin@example.com
     DocumentRoot /var/www/symfony5/public
     ServerName example.com
     ServerAlias www.example.com

     <Directory /var/www/symfony5/public/>
          Options FollowSymlinks
          AllowOverride All
          Require all granted
     </Directory › ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
     CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Step 5Enable Symfony

Activate your new configuration and restart the server. Requires admin privileges.

sudo a2ensite symfony.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

Visit your site in your browser:

http://example.com/

Your Symfony 5 setup is complete and ready for use.

Summary

In this tutorial, we installed the Apache2 web server, set up PHP, downloaded the Symfony 5 framework using Composer, and configured the server to display your new application. With this setup, you're ready to start developing your web projects.