Laravel is one of the most popular PHP frameworks for web application development. Deploying Laravel on a Windows Server with Internet Information Services (IIS) provides a stable environment for hosting enterprise and business applications.
1. Install IIS
Begin by enabling IIS through the Windows Server Manager. Ensure the following components are installed:
- Web Server (IIS)
- CGI Feature
- URL Rewrite Module
2. Install PHP
Download and install the latest PHP version compatible with your Laravel application. Configure PHP in IIS using FastCGI for better performance.
3. Install Composer
Composer is required to manage Laravel dependencies. Install Composer and verify it is accessible from the command line.
4. Deploy the Laravel Application
Upload your Laravel project files to the server and run:
composer install
Then generate the application key:
php artisan key:generate
5. Configure IIS Website
- Create a new website in IIS.
- Set the website’s physical path to Laravel’s public folder.
- Configure the application pool to use the correct PHP version.
6. Set Folder Permissions
Ensure IIS has appropriate permissions for:
- storage/
- bootstrap/cache/
These directories must be writable by the web server.
7. Configure URL Rewriting
Install the IIS URL Rewrite Module and create a web.config file to route all requests through Laravel’s index.php.
8. Test the Application
Restart IIS and access your website through the browser to verify the Laravel application is running correctly.
Conclusion
Hosting Laravel on Windows Server with IIS is straightforward when PHP, Composer, and IIS are properly configured. Following these steps ensures a secure, stable, and scalable environment for your Laravel applications.