🌍 PHP Deployment – Interview Questions
🟢 🟢 Beginner Level (Basic Understanding)
1. What is deployment?
👉 Moving your project from local machine to a live server.
2. Difference between localhost and live server?
- Localhost → your system (XAMPP/WAMP)
- Live server → accessible via internet
3. What is shared hosting?
- Multiple websites share same server resources
4. What is VPS?
- Virtual Private Server with dedicated resources
5. What is a domain name?
- Website address (example.com)
6. What is DNS?
- Converts domain → IP address
7. What is cPanel?
- GUI to manage hosting (files, DB, email)
8. What is public_html?
- Root folder where website files are stored
🟡 Intermediate Level (Practical Knowledge)
9. How do you deploy a PHP project on shared hosting?
👉 Expected Answer:
- Upload files to public_html
- Create database
- Update config file
- Import DB
- Test site
10. How do you connect domain to hosting?
- Update nameservers OR
- Add A record
11. What is .env file?
- Stores environment variables (DB, API keys)
12. Why should .env not be public?
- Contains sensitive data
13. How do you migrate database?
- Export → Import using phpMyAdmin
14. What is SSL?
- Secures site with HTTPS
15. How do you force HTTPS?
👉 Using .htaccess:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]16. What is FTP?
- File transfer protocol (FileZilla)
17. What is Git?
- Version control system
18. How do you deploy using Git?
- Push to GitHub
- Pull on server
🔵 Advanced Level (Real Job Questions)
19. How do you deploy a Laravel project?
👉 Expected:
- Upload project
- Run
composer install - Setup
.env - Generate key
- Run migrations
20. What is CI/CD?
- Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment
21. What are common deployment mistakes?
- Wrong DB credentials
- Missing .env
- Permissions issue
- Debug mode ON
22. What file permissions are required?
- 755 → folders
- 644 → files
23. How do you secure a PHP application?
- Input validation
- Prepared statements
- Hide sensitive files
- Use HTTPS
24. What is rate limiting?
- Limits number of requests per user/IP
25. What is caching?
- Store data to improve speed
26. What is CDN?
- Content Delivery Network (Cloudflare)
27. What is load balancing?
- Distribute traffic across servers
28. What is zero downtime deployment?
- Deploy without breaking live site
29. How do you handle errors in production?
- Turn OFF error display
- Log errors instead
30. What is difference between Apache and Nginx?
- Apache → process-based
- Nginx → event-based (faster)
🔴 Scenario-Based Questions (Very Important)
31. Website not loading after deployment. What will you check?
👉 Expected flow:
- Domain pointing
- File location (public_html)
- DB connection
- Error logs
32. Database connected locally but not on server?
- Check DB name/user/password
- Host (localhost vs remote)
33. Website showing 500 error?
- Check error logs
- .htaccess issue
- PHP version mismatch
34. Images not loading?
- Wrong path
- Case sensitivity (Linux issue)
35. Site working but slow?
- Enable caching
- Optimize images
- Use CDN
36. Git deployment not updating?
- Forgot
git pull - Cache issue
🟣 Bonus (HR + Practical Mix)
37. Have you deployed a live project?
👉 Always say YES + explain steps
38. Which hosting have you used?
- Hostinger / cPanel / VPS
39. How do you take backup?
- cPanel backup
- DB export
40. What will you do before deploying?
- Test locally
- Remove debug
- Backup
🎯 Pro Tip (Interview Hack)
If interviewer asks:
👉 “Have you deployed project?”
Say like this:
“Yes, I deployed my PHP project on shared hosting using cPanel. I uploaded files to public_html, configured database, updated .env, and secured it with SSL. I also used Git for version control.”
