Laravel Nginx Docker Always return 404 error

Laravel Nginx Docker Always return 404 error

I. Introduction

Laravel is a popular PHP web application framework that utilizes Composer for dependency management and comes with an elegant syntax and a powerful set of features. Nginx is a widely-used open-source web server that is known for its high performance, stability, and low resource consumption. Docker is a containerization platform that simplifies the process of building, deploying, and running applications by encapsulating them in portable containers.

When trying to run a Laravel application using Nginx and Docker, you might encounter a 404 error. This error occurs when Nginx is unable to find the requested resource. In this answer, we will explore the possible causes of this issue and provide solutions to help you resolve it.

II. Possible causes of the 404 error in Laravel Nginx Docker

1. Incorrect Nginx configuration

The most common cause of a 404 error in Laravel Nginx Docker is an incorrect Nginx configuration. This can include incorrect server blocks, incorrect file paths, or missing rewrite rules.

2. Incorrect Laravel application URL

Another possible cause of a 404 error in Laravel Nginx Docker is an incorrect Laravel application URL. This can occur if the application URL is not set correctly in the .env file or if the web server is not configured to use the correct URL.

3. Missing or incorrect environment variables

Environment variables are essential for Laravel applications to function correctly. Missing or incorrect environment variables can cause a 404 error.

4. Incorrect file permissions

File permissions are crucial for Laravel applications to run correctly. Incorrect file permissions can prevent Laravel from accessing the necessary files, resulting in a 404 error.

III. Solutions to resolve the 404 error in Laravel Nginx Docker

1. Check Nginx configuration

The first step to resolving a 404 error in Laravel Nginx Docker is to check the Nginx configuration. This can be done by reviewing the Nginx server blocks, file paths, and rewrite rules. Ensure that the server block for your Laravel application is correctly configured and that the file paths to the Laravel public directory and .htaccess file are set correctly.

2. Set the correct Laravel application URL

Ensure that the Laravel application URL is set correctly in the .env file and that the web server is configured to use the correct URL. In your Nginx configuration file, set the Laravel application URL as follows:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;
    root /var/www/html/laravel/public;

    index index.php index.html index.htm;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass php:9000;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
    }
}

Replace "example.com" with your actual domain name or server IP address.

3. Set environment variables

Ensure that all necessary environment variables are set correctly. You can set environment variables in your Dockerfile, .env file, or in the Nginx configuration file. Here's an example of how to set environment variables in your Dockerfile:

FROM php:7.4-fpm

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y zip unzip && docker-php-ext-install pdo pdo_mysql zip unzip && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

WORKDIR /var/www/html/laravel

COPY . /var/www/html/laravel

RUN composer install --no-autoloader --no-scripts

RUN php artisan key:generate

ENV APP_KEY=base64:your_app_key_here
ENV APP_URL=http://example.com

EXPOSE 8000

CMD ["php-fpm"]

Replace "your_app_key_here" with your actual application key.

4. Set correct file permissions

Ensure that all necessary files have the correct file permissions. You can set file permissions using the following commands:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/laravel
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/laravel
sudo chmod -R 644 /var/www/html/laravel/public /var/www/html/laravel/bootstrap/cache
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/laravel/storage
sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/laravel/bootstrap/cache/compiled.php

These commands set the owner and group of the Laravel application directory and its subdirectories to www-data and grant the necessary permissions to the files and directories.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the 404 error in your Laravel Nginx Docker application. If you continue to experience issues, please leave a comment below, and we'll be happy to help.