The Serverless Revolution: Deploying Scalable PHP Applications with Bref

Bref enables PHP developers to build scalable, cost-effective applications without managing servers. 1. Bref brings PHP to AWS Lambda by providing an optimized PHP runtime layer, supports PHP 8.3 and other versions, and seamlessly integrates with frameworks such as Laravel and Symfony; 2. The deployment steps include: installing Bref using Composer, configuring serverless.yml to define functions and events, such as HTTP endpoints and Artisan commands; 3. Execute serverless deploy commands to complete the deployment, automatically configure API Gateway and generate access URLs; 4. For Lambda restrictions, Bref provides solutions: use S3 or EFS to deal with temporary file system restrictions, reduce cold startup delays through Provisioned Concurrency, implement timing tasks using EventBridge, and handle asynchronous queues in combination with SQS; 5. Bref is suitable for high-traffic APIs, event-driven architectures, microservices, and cost-sensitive projects, and is not suitable for long-running tasks or relying on persistent memory caches. Therefore, Bref provides PHP developers with a low threshold path to enter the serverless field, realizing a modern application architecture with free operation and maintenance, automatic expansion and on-demand billing.

Serverless isn't just for Node.js or Python anymore — PHP developers can now build scalable, cost-efficient applications without managing servers, thanks to Bref . If you've been hesitant to adopt serverless because of PHP's traditional reliance on long-running processes or shared hosting, it's time to reconsider. Bref makes it not only possible but practical to run PHP on AWS Lambda.

Here's how Bref is changing the game and how you can deploy scalable PHP apps with it.

What Is Bref and Why It Matters for PHP

Bref is an open-source project that brings PHP to AWS Lambda by providing optimized runtime layers. AWS Lambda natively supports languages like JavaScript and Python, but not PHP. Bref fills that gap by packaging PHP runtimes (like PHP 8.3) as AWS Lambda layers, allowing you to run PHP code in a serverless environment.

Why this matters:

• No server management : You write code, deploy it, and AWS handles scaling, patching, and availability.
• Cost efficiency : You pay only when your functions run — ideal for apps with variable traffic.
• Built for scalability : Lambda automatically scales from zero to thousands of concurrent executions.
• Seamless integration with AWS : Use API Gateway, S3, DynamoDB, SQS, and more with minimal configuration.

Bref doesn't just let you run PHP on Lambda — it integrates smoothly with the Laravel, Symfony, and other frameworks, making migration easier.

How to Deploy a PHP App with Bref

Deploying a PHP application with Bref typically involves three steps: setting up your project, defining serverless configuration, and deploying via the Serverless Framework.

1. Install Bref and Configure serverless.yml

First, install Bref via Composer:

 composer requires bref/bref

Then, set up your serverless.yml to define functions and events:

 service: my-php-app

Provider:
  name: aws
  runtime: php-83

plugins:
  - ./vendor/bref/bref

functions:
  website:
    handler: public/index.php
    timeout: 28 # Keep under 30 seconds for web requests
    Events:
      - httpApi: '*'

  # Optional: Console handler for Artisan commands
  artisan:
    handler: artisan
    timeout: 120
    layers:
      - ${bref:layer.php-83-console}

This config sets up:

• An HTTP endpoint powered by API Gateway (via httpApi )
• A Lambda function that runs your public/index.php (great for Laravel or Symfony front controllers)
• A separate function for running Artisan commands (eg, migrations)

2. Write Framework-Agnostic or Framework-Specific Code

Bref works great with Laravel. For example, in a Laravel app, your public/index.php stays untouched. Bref routes all HTTP requests through it, just like Apache or Nginx would.

For console commands (like php artisan migrate ), Bref provides a special console layer . You can trigger it via the AWS CLI or CI/CD pipeline:

 serverless invoke -f artisan --data "migrate --force"

3. Deploy

Run the deploy command:

 serverless deploy

That's it. Bref packages your code, uploads it to Lambda, configures API Gateway, and give you a URL to access your app.

Handling Limitations of Serverless PHP

While powerful, Lambda has constraints. Bref helps you work around them:

• Execution timeout (15 minutes max) : Great for web requests and short-lived tasks. For longer jobs, use Step Functions or offload work to Fargate.
• Ephemeral filesystem : You can't write to /tmp permanently. Use S3 or EFS for persistent storage.
• Cold starts : Can add latency. Bref minimizes this with optimized layers, and you can use Provisioned Concurrency for critical endpoints.
• No traditional cron : Use EventBridge (CloudWatch Events) to trigger Lambda functions on a schedule.

For background jobs, Bref supports SQS-triggered functions:

 functions:
  process-orders:
    handler: functions/process-orders.php
    Events:
      - sqs: ${ssm:/my-app/sqs-queue-arn}

This lets you process queues without running a worker server 24/7.

When Should You Use Bref?

Bref shines in:

• High-traffic Laravel APIs that need auto-scaling
• Event-driven applications (eg, processing uploads, sending emails)
• Microservices where you want to isolate functionality
• Cost-sensitive projects where you want to pay only for usage

It's less ideal for:

• Long-running batch jobs (consider AWS Batch or Fargate)
• Apps requiring persistent in-memory caching (though Redis helps)
• Legacy apps that depend heavily on .htaccess or mod_php features

Basically, Bref removes the infrastructure barrier for PHP developers entering the serverless world. With minimum configuration and strong framework support, you can deploy scalable, secure, and efficient PHP apps — without ever touching a server.

The above is the detailed content of The Serverless Revolution: Deploying Scalable PHP Applications with Bref. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!