renatomb/alpine-apache-php-git repository overview

⁠alpine-apache-php-git

Alpine-based image that ships Apache httpd, PHP (with a curated set of common modules) and Git so you can drop a PHP application in a container and immediately clone, serve, and update it. The image was created with “ship-it-to-the-client” scenarios in mind, where you need a reproducible stack that remains lightweight and easy to automate.

⁠Why this image?

• Tiny and fast: Alpine + Apache + PHP with no-frills defaults keeps the image small and boot times short.
• Batteries included: Pre-installs the most-used PHP extensions, Git, and OpenSSH tooling so you can git clone private repos on first boot.
• Stateful when you need it: Everything important lives under /data, making it trivial to persist sources, logs, and config on the host.
• Helper tooling: Small shell helpers (e.g., genkey, fix-permission, error-log) handle repetitive setup tasks inside the container.
• Secure-by-context: Intended for intranet deployments where you control the environment and need automation more than hardened defaults.

⁠Table of contents

1. Prerequisites⁠
2. Quick start⁠
3. Volume layout⁠
4. Helper commands⁠
5. Working with Git⁠
6. Installing extra packages⁠
7. Docker Compose example⁠
8. Security considerations⁠
9. License⁠
10. Credits⁠

⁠Prerequisites

• Docker⁠ 20.10+ (or an equivalent compatible engine).
• Ability to reach Docker Hub image⁠ renatomb/alpine-apache-php-git.
• Optional: a Git repository (public or private) containing the PHP application you want to serve.

⁠Quick start

Pick a container name (mywebapp) and host port (8888) then launch the image. Two common workflows are shown below.

⁠Keep the code inside the container

docker run -d -p 8888:80 --name mywebapp renatomb/alpine-apache-php-git

⁠Persist the /data volume on the host

docker run -d \
  -p 8888:80 \
  -v "$(pwd)/data:/data" \
  --name mywebapp \
  renatomb/alpine-apache-php-git

Mounting /data lets you edit sources, inspect logs, or back up configuration directly from the host. Replace $(pwd)/data with any absolute path that suits your setup.

The first boot runs setupvol, generates SSH keys, and ensures /data is owned by the apache user before starting httpd in the foreground.

⁠Volume layout

Everything that matters is under /data, meaning a single bind mount (or Docker volume) keeps stateful pieces safe:

The image rewires /etc/apache2, /var/log/apache2, /var/www/.ssh, and /var/www/localhost to symlink into /data so that Apache and your application always read/write from the persistent volume.

⁠Helper commands

Every helper lives in /usr/local/bin inside the container and is available via docker exec mywebapp <command>.

⁠SSH key management

Private repositories usually require the container to expose its public key:

# Show the current public key
docker exec mywebapp pubkey

# Regenerate (removes the old pair)
docker exec mywebapp genkey force

# Re-copy a host-edited key back to /root/.ssh
docker exec mywebapp genkey copy

⁠Working with Git

• The apache and root users share the same SSH keypair, so PHP code can call Git directly if needed.
• For initial deployments, it is often easiest to clone the application from the host via docker exec:

docker exec mywebapp git clone [email protected]:<user>/<repo>.git /data/localhost/htdocs

• When you clone as root, run docker exec mywebapp fix-permission afterward so Apache can read and write the files without permission issues.

⁠Installing extra packages

Need another PHP extension or system utility? Use the bundled helper (which delegates to apk add):

docker exec mywebapp install php-zip

For package names, refer to the Alpine Packages⁠ index.

⁠Docker Compose example

Minimal stack (web + MariaDB) using Compose:

services:
  db:
    image: mariadb
    command: --default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password --sql_mode="" --lower_case_table_names=1
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "3306:3306"
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: areallystrongpassword
    volumes:
      - ./mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
      - ./mysql_import:/home/import
    networks:
      - websvcs

  websys:
    image: renatomb/alpine-apache-php-git:php8.3
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    volumes:
      - ./sistema/data:/data
      - ./sistema/conf:/etc/apache2/
    networks:
      - websvcs
    depends_on:
      - db

networks:
  websvcs:

Adjust the paths so they match your host layout. Copy ./sistema/conf from a running container if you need to tweak Apache before committing changes back to version control.

⁠Security considerations

This image is designed for controlled networks (lab, intranet, on-site customer servers). Before exposing it to the public internet, review and harden the following defaults:

• SSH keys are generated without passphrases and stored under /data/ssh.
• The same SSH key is shared between root and apache for convenience.
• Strict host key checking is disabled for github.com and bitbucket.org to simplify unattended clones.
• Apache ships with the stock httpd.conf plus AllowOverride All; review modules, users, and TLS settings as needed.

Nothing prevents you from hardening these items—feel free to bake your own derivative image, swap the setupvol logic, or manage keys externally if you require stricter controls.

⁠Available Tags / PHP Versions

Please check alpine-apache-php-git repository tags⁠ to see all available PHP versions.

⁠License

Do whatever you want.

⁠About the author

Renato Monteiro Batista is a Brazilian Computer Engineer, if you like this kind of project feel free to get in touch.

• Github⁠
• Docker Hub⁠
• Links tree⁠

⁠Credits

Inspired by gliderlabs/alpine⁠ and httpd⁠, standing on the shoulders of the Alpine Linux⁠ community.