Skip to main content

Deploying Laravel to DreamHost: Solving Public Directory & 404 Errors

 Deploying a Laravel application to a shared hosting environment like DreamHost often presents a specific, recurring hurdle: the "Public Directory" mismatch. After uploading files, developers frequently encounter a directory listing, a 403 Forbidden error, or the requirement to append /public to the URL to view the application.

This configuration error is not merely a cosmetic annoyance; it is a critical security vulnerability. Misconfigured document roots expose sensitive environment variables and configuration files to the public internet.

This guide details the architectural reasons behind this issue, the correct method to resolve it using the DreamHost control panel (without messy .htaccess hacks), and the essential commands to finalize a production-grade deployment.

The Architecture of the Problem

To understand the solution, one must understand how modern PHP frameworks interact with web servers (Apache or Nginx) versus how shared hosting is traditionally configured.

The Front Controller Pattern

Laravel utilizes the Front Controller design pattern. Every request entering the application is funneled through a single entry point: public/index.php. This file initializes the framework, loads the Composer autoloader, and dispatches the request to the router.

The Document Root Mismatch

Shared hosting providers typically automate the creation of a "Web Directory" (or Document Root) matching the domain name.

  • Standard Hosting Path: /home/username/example.com/
  • Laravel Entry Point: /home/username/example.com/public/

When the web server looks at the standard hosting path, it does not find an index.php (because that file is inside the public subdirectory). Instead, it displays the file tree or returns a 403 error.

The Security Implication

If the web server treats /example.com/ as the root, any file within that directory is accessible via the browser.

Consider the .env file, which sits at the project root (/example.com/.env). If the Document Root is not set to /public, a malicious actor can navigate to http://example.com/.env and download your database credentials, API keys, and APP_KEY. Correcting the Document Root is mandatory for security.

The Solution: Configuring the DreamHost Panel

Many legacy tutorials suggest creating an .htaccess file in the project root to redirect traffic to the public folder. Do not do this. It creates routing inconsistencies, breaks the asset() helper function, and adds unnecessary overhead to every request.

The correct solution is to instruct the web server to serve files directly from the public subdirectory.

Step 1: Access Domain Settings

  1. Log in to the DreamHost Control Panel.
  2. Navigate to Websites > Manage Websites.
  3. Locate the domain you are deploying to and click the Manage button.

Step 2: Modify the Web Directory

  1. Find the Web Directory setting. By default, this will likely read /home/your_user/example.com.
  2. Edit this path to append /public.
  3. The new path should look like: /home/your_user/example.com/public.
  4. Save the changes.

DreamHost’s automated scripts will update the Apache/Nginx virtual host configuration. This change may take 5 to 10 minutes to propagate. Once active, the server will treat public/ as the root, correctly loading index.php while keeping your application logic and .env file one level above the public web root—safe from direct browser access.

Essential Deployment Commands

Pointing the domain is step one. To prevent 500 errors and ensure the application runs smoothly, you must execute specific deployment commands via SSH.

1. SSH Access and Environment Setup

Connect to your DreamHost server via SSH. If you haven't configured keys, use your SFTP credentials.

ssh username@example.com

Navigate to your project root (one level up from the new web directory):

cd example.com

2. Dependency Management

Never upload your vendor/ folder via FTP. It is prone to corruption and bloat. Instead, install dependencies directly on the server to ensure platform compatibility.

# Install dependencies optimized for production
composer install --optimize-autoloader --no-dev
  • --optimize-autoloader: Converts PSR-0/4 autoloading to a classmap for faster performance.
  • --no-dev: Skips installing development packages like PHPUnit or Ignition, which should not exist in production.

3. Environment Configuration

Ensure your .env file exists. If you uploaded via Git, you likely only have .env.example.

cp .env.example .env
nano .env

Update your DB_DATABASE, DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD, and ensure APP_ENV is set to production and APP_DEBUG is set to false.

4. Database Migrations

Run your database migrations to create the necessary tables.

php artisan migrate --force

The --force flag is required in production environments to bypass the interactive confirmation prompt.

5. Storage Linking

Laravel stores user-generated content in storage/app/public. For these files to be accessible via the browser, you must create a symbolic link from public/storage to this directory.

php artisan storage:link

Troubleshooting Common Errors

Even with the document root fixed, you may encounter these common issues on DreamHost.

1. The "Whoops, looks like something went wrong" (Permission Denied)

Laravel requires write access to the storage and bootstrap/cache directories. If the web server user cannot write to logs or compiled views, the app will crash.

Fix permissions using standard Linux commands:

# Grant read/write/execute permissions to group and owner
chmod -R 775 storage
chmod -R 775 bootstrap/cache

2. PHP Version Mismatch

Laravel 10 and 11 require modern PHP versions (8.1+ or 8.2+). DreamHost domains might default to older versions.

  1. Go to Websites > Manage Websites.
  2. Click Manage on your domain.
  3. Look for the PHP Version section.
  4. Ensure it matches the version defined in your composer.json (config.platform.php or require.php).

3. The 404 on Internal Routes

If the homepage loads, but clicking links results in a 404 error, the server is not rewriting URLs to index.php.

Ensure the default Laravel .htaccess file exists inside your public/ folder. It should look like this:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    <IfModule mod_negotiation.c>
        Options -MultiViews -Indexes
    </IfModule>

    RewriteEngine On

    # Handle Authorization Header
    RewriteCond %{HTTP:Authorization} .
    RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]

    # Redirect Trailing Slashes If Not A Folder...
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (.+)/$
    RewriteRule ^ %1 [L,R=301]

    # Send Requests To Front Controller...
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteRule ^ index.php [L]
</IfModule>

Optimization for High Traffic

Once the site is live, run Laravel's optimization commands to cache configuration and routes. This drastically reduces disk I/O for every request.

php artisan config:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cache

Warning: Once you run config:cache, calls to env() in your code will return null. Only use env() inside configuration files (in /config), and use config('app.name') throughout your application logic.

Conclusion

Deploying Laravel to DreamHost does not require complex workarounds. By understanding the Front Controller pattern and correctly mapping the DreamHost Web Directory to your application's public folder, you ensure a secure, performant, and standard compliant deployment. Avoid directory hacks, utilize Composer on the server, and strictly manage your file permissions for a robust production environment.

Labels: