What is Server Deployment?

Server deployment is the process of making your application available on a server so it can be accessed by users. This involves configuring the server environment, installing dependencies, and ensuring your application runs correctly in a production setting.

Deployment Lifecycle

• Planning and requirements gathering
• Environment setup and configuration
• Code deployment and testing
• Monitoring and maintenance
• Scaling and optimization

Key Terminology

• CI/CD: Continuous Integration/Deployment
• Containerization: Packaging with dependencies
• Scalability: Handling increased load
• Rollback: Reverting to stable version
• Hardening: Securing against attacks

Shared Hosting

Multiple websites hosted on a single physical server, sharing resources. Most economical option for small websites.

• Cost-effective
• Limited control
• Easy to manage
• Shared resources

VPS Hosting

Virtual Private Server – A physical server divided into virtual machines with dedicated resources.

• Root access
• Scalable resources
• More control
• Cost-effective scaling

Dedicated Servers

An entire physical server dedicated to a single client or application.

• Full control
• Maximum performance
• Highest cost
• Complete customization

Cloud Servers

Virtual servers running in cloud computing environments like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

• Pay-as-you-go
• Auto-scaling
• Global availability
• Managed services

Linux Server Basics

Linux is the most popular choice for server deployment due to its stability, security, and flexibility. It powers over 90% of the internet’s servers.

Windows Server Basics

Windows Server is commonly used in enterprise environments, especially when integrating with existing Microsoft infrastructure.

• Active Directory integration
• .NET framework support
• GUI and PowerShell administration
• IIS web server
• SQL Server integration

File System & Permissions

• Read (r), Write (w), Execute (x)
• User, Group, Others (ugo)
• chmod, chown commands
• sudo for administrative tasks

Package Management

• Ubuntu/Debian: APT package manager
• CentOS/RHEL: YUM/DNF package manager
• Windows: PowerShell or GUI
• Automatic updates & security patches

User Management

• Creating and managing user accounts
• Group permissions and access control
• SSH key authentication
• Service accounts for applications

Apache HTTP Server

The most widely used web server, known for its flexibility and .htaccess support.

• Modular architecture with .so modules
• .htaccess for directory-level configuration
• Excellent documentation
• Good for shared hosting environments

Nginx

High-performance web server known for handling concurrent connections efficiently.

• Event-driven architecture
• Excellent for static content and reverse proxying
• Lower memory footprint than Apache
• Popular for high-traffic sites

Node.js Servers

JavaScript runtime that can function as a web server using frameworks like Express.

• Single-threaded, event-driven model
• Excellent for real-time applications
• Unified JavaScript stack (frontend/backend)
• Requires process manager for production (PM2)

Reverse Proxy Configuration

• Load Balancing: Distribute traffic across multiple servers
• SSL Termination: Handle HTTPS decryption at the proxy
• Caching: Cache static content to reduce backend load
• Security: Hide backend servers, provide DDoS protection

Virtual Hosts Setup

Virtual hosts allow a single web server to host multiple websites on the same machine.

• Apache: VirtualHost directives
• Nginx: Server blocks configuration
• Domain-based and IP-based virtual hosting
• SSL certificate management per domain

Manual Deployment

• Copy files via FTP/SFTP
• Run database migrations manually
• Restart services manually
• Prone to human error

Automated Deployment

• Script-based deployments
• Configuration management tools
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Consistent and repeatable

Git-Based Deployment

• Deploy directly from Git repositories
• Branch-based deployment strategies
• Automatic builds on push
• Version control integration

CI/CD Pipelines

• Continuous Integration
• Continuous Delivery/Deployment
• Automated testing and validation
• Zero-downtime deployments

Node.js Apps

• Use process manager (PM2)
• Set NODE_ENV=production
• Use reverse proxy (Nginx)
• Implement health checks

Python Apps

• Use WSGI server (Gunicorn)
• Virtual environments
• Django: collectstatic, migrate
• Flask: Production server setup

Java Spring Boot

• Build executable JAR or WAR
• Embedded Tomcat or external server
• Set Java heap size appropriately
• Database connection pooling

PHP/Laravel

• PHP-FPM with Nginx/Apache
• Composer for dependencies
• Laravel: Artisan commands
• OpCache for performance