Deploying Laravel Applications on a Cloud Server

Deploying Laravel to a cloud server requires more than copying the project files.

The server should have a supported PHP version, required PHP extensions, a database, a web server, process management where needed, and HTTPS.

Typical Deployment Flow

1. Prepare the server.
2. Install PHP, Composer, MySQL, and Nginx.
3. Clone the Laravel application.
4. Configure environment variables.
5. Run migrations and optimize the application.
6. Configure the web server and SSL.

A repeatable deployment process reduces configuration mistakes and simplifies future releases.