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PHP on Miren

PHP isn't auto-detected, so you deploy it with a Dockerfile.miren. This guide uses FrankenPHP — a modern PHP application server that runs your app from a single image, no separate nginx + php-fpm wiring. It works for plain PHP and for frameworks like Laravel and Symfony.

Let your agent do this

Ask your AI coding agent to "set up this Laravel app on Miren" after installing the Miren agent skills. It adds the Dockerfile.miren, points the server at 0.0.0.0:$PORT, wires up environment variables, and deploys — using this page as its reference.

Do you need a Dockerfile?​

Yes. Miren doesn't auto-detect PHP, so add a Dockerfile.miren to your project root. Miren builds from it instead of guessing the stack — see Using Dockerfile.miren.

Want native support?

Miren auto-detects and builds common stacks (Python, Node, Bun, Go, Ruby, Rust) without a Dockerfile. This language isn't one of them yet — if you'd like first-class support, request it.

The Dockerfile​

Create Dockerfile.miren in your project root. FrankenPHP serves your public/ directory:

FROM dunglas/frankenphp:1-php8.3

WORKDIR /app
COPY . /app

EXPOSE 8080

For a Laravel or Composer app, install dependencies during the build:

FROM dunglas/frankenphp:1-php8.3

# Composer from its official pinned image — no piping a remote installer into php
COPY --from=composer:2 /usr/bin/composer /usr/bin/composer
RUN install-php-extensions pdo_pgsql pdo_mysql zip

WORKDIR /app
# Copy the manifests first so the install layer is deterministic and cache-friendly;
# committing composer.lock pins exact dependency versions.
COPY composer.json composer.lock ./
RUN composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader --no-scripts --no-interaction

COPY . /app
RUN composer dump-autoload --optimize --no-interaction

EXPOSE 8080

(install-php-extensions ships with the FrankenPHP image.)

.dockerignore​

.git
vendor

Set up the app​

Even with a Dockerfile.miren, Miren needs at least one service defined — it doesn't use the image's CMD as the start command. FrankenPHP's php-server command takes the listen address and document root; point it at Miren's injected $PORT and 0.0.0.0 in a Procfile:

web: frankenphp php-server --listen 0.0.0.0:$PORT --root /app/public

Then create .miren/app.toml naming your app and deploy from your project root:

name = "php-bench"
miren deploy
Deploying without a service fails

If no service is defined, the build succeeds but the deploy stops with no services defined: please define at least one service in a Procfile or .miren/app.toml.

Environment variables​

Set variables with miren env set — -e for plain values, -s for secrets (masked in output and logs). Read them with getenv() or your framework's config (Laravel's env()):

miren env set -e APP_ENV=production
miren env set -s APP_KEY
miren env set -s DATABASE_URL

Generate a Laravel APP_KEY locally with php artisan key:generate --show. You can also declare variables in .miren/app.toml:

[[env]]
key = "APP_ENV"
value = "production"

Need a managed Postgres database? Add a miren-postgresql addon and Miren injects DATABASE_URL for you. See App Configuration — Environment Variables.

Agent quick reference​

  • Detection: none — requires Dockerfile.miren
  • Base image: dunglas/frankenphp:1-php8.3; use install-php-extensions for pdo_pgsql, etc.
  • Composer: composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader during the build
  • Service is required: Procfile web: frankenphp php-server --listen 0.0.0.0:$PORT --root /app/public — the image CMD is not used
  • Port: FrankenPHP --listen 0.0.0.0:$PORT
  • Env vars: miren env set -e/-s; read with getenv() / Laravel env()
  • Database: optional [addons.miren-postgresql] injects DATABASE_URL

Next steps​