How to Install FrankenPHP App Server in Ubuntu 24.04

FrankenPHP is a modern, high-performance PHP application server and reverse proxy built with Caddy. It supports features like automatic HTTPS, HTTP/3, worker mode, and native support for Symfony and Laravel. If you’re running Ubuntu 24.04 and want to try FrankenPHP, here’s how to set it up.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 24.04 (fresh install or existing server)
• Root or sudo access
• Basic terminal knowledge

Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing anything, make sure your system packages are up-to-date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

FrankenPHP is built on top of Caddy, so we’ll start by installing xcaddy to build a custom Caddy with FrankenPHP.

sudo apt install -y curl git build-essential php php-cli

Install xcaddy:

curl -sfL https://github.com/caddyserver/xcaddy/releases/latest/download/xcaddy_$(uname -s)_$(uname -m) -o xcaddy
chmod +x xcaddy
sudo mv xcaddy /usr/local/bin/

Step 3: Build Caddy with FrankenPHP

Now build a custom version of Caddy with the FrankenPHP module:

xcaddy build --with github.com/dunglas/frankenphp

Move the built binary to a system path:

sudo mv caddy /usr/local/bin/

Step 4: Verify Installation

Check if FrankenPHP was included:

caddy list-modules | grep frankenphp

You should see something like: http.handlers.frankenphp

Step 5: Create a Basic FrankenPHP App

Create a simple PHP file:

mkdir -p ~/frankenphp-site
cd ~/frankenphp-site
echo "<?php phpinfo();" > index.php

Step 6: Create a Caddyfile

FrankenPHP uses Caddy’s config file format. Create a Caddyfile:

nano ~/frankenphp-site/Caddyfile

Paste the following:

:8080

root * .
php_fastcgi localhost:9000
file_server

Optional: Replace php_fastcgi with frankenphp for native execution.

Example:

:8080

root * .
frankenphp
file_server

Step 7: Run FrankenPHP

From the project directory:

caddy run --config Caddyfile

Visit http://localhost:8080 (or your server IP) in your browser. You should see the PHP info page.

Final Tips

• Use systemd to run FrankenPHP as a service for production.
• Secure your server with HTTPS using Caddy’s built-in features.
• Refer to the FrankenPHP documentation for advanced use cases.

Conclusion

FrankenPHP is fast, flexible, and easy to deploy. With Ubuntu 24.04 and just a few commands, you can have a powerful PHP app server up and running in no time.

Let me know in the comments if you ran into any issues—or if you’re using FrankenPHP in production!