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Codeigniter 15: Deploying a CodeIgniter REST API on Cloud Platforms

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Codeigniter 15: Deploying a CodeIgniter REST API on Cloud Platforms

Deploying your CodeIgniter REST API on a cloud platform ensures it is accessible, scalable, and secure for production use. This guide will walk you through deploying your API on popular cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Heroku.

 

Step 1: Prepare Your Application for Deployment
 

  1. Set the Environment to Production: Update the environment variable in app/Config/Constants.php:
    define('CI_ENVIRONMENT', 'production');
  2. Enable Debugging (Optional for Production): Ensure detailed errors are disabled by setting:
    public $log = true;
  3. Update Base URL: Set the correct base URL in app/Config/App.php:
    public $baseURL = 'https://your-domain.com';

 

Step 2: Deploying to AWS Elastic Beanstalk
 

  1. Create a PHP Environment:
    • Log in to the AWS Management Console.
    • Navigate to Elastic Beanstalk and create a new application.
    • Select the “PHP” platform.
  2. Upload Your Code:
    • Compress your CodeIgniter application files into a .zip archive.
    • Upload the archive to Elastic Beanstalk.
  3. Configure the Environment:
    • Set environment variables such as database credentials.
    • Adjust load balancer and instance settings as needed.
  4. Access Your Application:
    • Use the provided Elastic Beanstalk URL to access your deployed API.

 

Step 3: Deploying to Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
 

  1. Set Up a GCP Project:
    • Create a new project in the Google Cloud Console.
  2. Install Google Cloud SDK:
  3. Prepare Your Application:
    • Create an app.yaml file in your project root:
      runtime: php74
env: standard
handlers:
- url: /.*
  script: public/index.php
  4. Deploy to App Engine:
    • Deploy your application using the following command:
      gcloud app deploy
  5. Access Your Application:
    • Visit your application at https://your-project-id.uc.r.appspot.com.

 

Step 4: Deploying to Heroku
 

  1. Install Heroku CLI:
  2. Create a Heroku Application:
    heroku create
  3. Prepare for Deployment:
    • Add a composer.json file to your project root if it doesn’t already exist.
    • Add a Procfile to specify the web server:
      web: vendor/bin/heroku-php-apache2 public/
  4. Deploy Your Code:
    • Initialize a Git repository:
      git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
    • Push your code to Heroku:
      git push heroku master
  5. Access Your Application:
    • Use the Heroku URL provided (e.g., https://your-app-name.herokuapp.com).

 

Step 5: Best Practices for Deployment
 

  1. Environment Variables: Store sensitive credentials like database passwords in environment variables.
  2. Database Configuration: Ensure your database is hosted securely and is accessible by your cloud platform.
  3. Enable HTTPS: Use HTTPS to secure API communications.
  4. Monitor Performance: Use monitoring tools like AWS CloudWatch, Google Cloud Monitoring, or Heroku Metrics to track API performance.
  5. Backup Data: Set up regular backups for your database and other critical resources.

 

Conclusion
 

Deploying a CodeIgniter REST API on cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Heroku is straightforward with the right configurations. By following this guide, you can ensure your API is scalable, secure, and ready for production use. In the next blog, we’ll explore how to integrate a CodeIgniter REST API with modern front-end frameworks like React or Angular.
 

  

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