How to Set Up a PHP Application on cPanel

Getting a PHP application running on your dotCanada account is straightforward. Whether you're deploying a custom PHP app, a framework like Symfony, or a CMS, the process follows the same basic steps.

Step 1: Upload Your Files

Upload your PHP application files to your server. For a public-facing app, place them in public_html or a subdirectory. You can upload via:

• FTP/SFTP using a client like FileZilla
• cPanel File Manager
• Git Version Control (for repo-based deployments)

Step 2: Choose Your PHP Version

dotCanada supports multiple PHP versions via MultiPHP Manager. To set the PHP version for your application:

1. In cPanel, go to Software > MultiPHP Manager.
2. Select your domain and choose the desired PHP version.
3. Click Apply.

Step 3: Create a Database

1. In cPanel, go to Databases > MySQL Databases.
2. Create a new database and user, and assign the user to the database with full privileges.
3. Update your application's config file with the database hostname (localhost), name, username, and password.

Step 4: Configure PHP Settings

You can customize PHP settings using a .htaccess file or cPanel's MultiPHP INI Editor. Common settings include upload_max_filesize, memory_limit, and max_execution_time.

Step 5: Test Your Application

Visit your domain in a browser to confirm everything is working. If you see errors, check cPanel's error logs for clues.

For help with a specific PHP framework or application setup, contact our support team - we're always happy to help.