FPM-Apache

The FPM-Apache variation combines PHP-FPM with Apache as a reverse proxy in a single container. Apache serves static content directly and forwards PHP requests to PHP-FPM for processing.

Use this variation when you need Apache-specific features, .htaccess support, or want an all-in-one solution for running PHP applications.

When to Use FPM-Apache

Use the FPM-Apache variation when you need to:

• Run WordPress sites that rely on .htaccess configurations
• Use Apache-specific modules like mod_rewrite or mod_security
• Deploy applications that require .htaccess support
• Want an all-in-one container with both web server and PHP processing
• Need Apache's mature ecosystem and widespread documentation

Perfect for

• WordPress hosting with Docker
• Legacy PHP applications that depend on Apache
• Teams familiar with Apache configuration
• Applications requiring .htaccess support

What's Inside

How FPM-Apache Works

This variation runs both Apache and PHP-FPM in a single container, managed by S6 Overlay (for the most accurate process supervision). Here's how requests flow:

S6 Overlay ensures both Apache and PHP-FPM are running and automatically restarts them if either process fails.

Quick Start

Here are a few examples to help you get started with the FPM-Apache variation.

Docker CLI

docker run -p 80:8080 -v $(pwd):/var/www/html/public serversideup/php:8.4-fpm-apache

Your application will be available at http://localhost. The default document root is /var/www/html/public.

Docker Compose

This is the recommended approach for local development and production deployments.

services:
  php:
    image: serversideup/php:8.4-fpm-apache
    ports:
      - "80:8080"
      - "443:8443"
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www/html
    environment:
      PHP_OPCACHE_ENABLE: "1"
      SSL_MODE: "full"

WordPress Example

The FPM-Apache variation is excellent for WordPress hosting:

services:
  wordpress:
    image: serversideup/php:8.4-fpm-apache
    ports:
      - "80:8080"
      - "443:8443"
    volumes:
      - ./wordpress:/var/www/html
    environment:
      SSL_MODE: "full"
      PHP_MEMORY_LIMIT: "512M"
      PHP_OPCACHE_ENABLE: "1"
    depends_on:
      - mariadb

  mariadb:
    image: mariadb:11
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
      MYSQL_USER: wordpress
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: wordpress
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql

volumes:
  db_data:

Health Check

The FPM-Apache variation includes a built-in health check that verifies Apache is responding:

If you are using Laravel, you can use the /up route to validate that Laravel is running and healthy.

SSL/TLS Support

The FPM-Apache variation includes built-in SSL support with self-signed certificates for development.

Enabling SSL

services:
  php:
    image: serversideup/php:8.4-fpm-apache
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
      - "8443:8443"
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www/html
    environment:
      SSL_MODE: "full"

Available SSL modes:

• off - SSL disabled (default)
• mixed - Both HTTP (8080) and HTTPS (8443) enabled
• full - HTTPS only on port 8443

Custom SSL Certificates

For production, use your own SSL certificates:

services:
  php:
    image: serversideup/php:8.4-fpm-apache
    ports:
      - "443:8443"
    volumes:
      - ./:/var/www/html
      - ./certs/server.crt:/etc/ssl/private/self-signed-web.crt:ro
      - ./certs/server.key:/etc/ssl/private/self-signed-web.key:ro
    environment:
      SSL_MODE: "full"

Environment Variables

The FPM-Apache variation supports extensive customization through environment variables.

Apache Configuration

PHP-FPM Configuration

Further Customization

If you need to customize the container further, reference the docs below:

• Environment Variable Specification - See which environment variables are available to customize PHP and Apache settings.
• Command Reference - See which commands are available to run inside the container.