A Detailed Guide on Deploying Sngine from Git to Your Live Server via cPanel

Creating and managing a social networking platform with Sngine is a rewarding experience. To make the development and deployment seamless, integrating Git into your workflow is essential. This guide will walk you through the process of importing your Sngine Git repository to cPanel and deploying it on your live server.

Why Use Git for Sngine Development?

Git is a distributed version control system that helps developers manage code efficiently. Here’s why Git is invaluable for Sngine projects:

• Version Control: Track changes and roll back if necessary.
• Collaboration: Work on the same codebase with your team seamlessly.
• Deployment: Streamline updates from development to production.

By combining Git with cPanel, you can automate deployment, reduce errors, and manage your Sngine site effectively.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following ready:

1. Git Repository: A working Sngine Git repository hosted on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.
2. cPanel Access: Credentials to the cPanel of your live server.
3. SSH Key: Add your server’s SSH key to your Git hosting platform.
4. Basic Understanding of Git: Familiarity with basic Git commands and workflows.

Step 1: Preparing Your Repository

1. Clean Up Your Local Repository:
   Ensure your local repository is up-to-date and free of unnecessary files. Remove any node_modules, vendor, or cache directories unless explicitly needed.

   bash

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   git pull origin main git clean -fd

2. Organize Your Files:
   Verify that all Sngine-related files, including the content, includes, and templates folders, are committed.

   bash

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   git status git add . git commit -m "Prepare repository for deployment"

Step 2: Accessing Your cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel:
   Use your server credentials to log into the cPanel dashboard.

2. Locate the Git Version Control Feature:

   • Navigate to Git Version Control in the Files section.
   • If your cPanel doesn’t have this feature, ask your hosting provider to enable it or check alternative deployment methods.

3. Create a New Repository:

   • Click on Create Repository and choose the repository path (e.g., /home/username/sngine).
   • Select the Clone a Repository option and enter the Git repository URL.

Step 3: Adding the Server’s SSH Key to Your Git Hosting

1. Generate an SSH Key in cPanel:

   • Go to SSH Access in cPanel.
   • Click Manage SSH Keys > Generate a New Key.
   • Download the public key.

2. Add the Public Key to Git Hosting:

   • Log into your Git hosting platform (GitHub, GitLab, etc.).
   • Navigate to Settings > SSH and GPG Keys and paste the public key.

3. Test the Connection:
   Run the following command in the cPanel terminal to verify the connection:

   bash

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   ssh -T git@github.com

Step 4: Cloning the Repository to cPanel

1. Clone Your Repository:
   In the Git Version Control section of cPanel, input your repository URL and click Clone.

2. Verify Files:
   Once cloned, navigate to the repository path via the cPanel file manager or SSH to ensure all files are present.

Step 5: Deploying Sngine

1. Set Up the Document Root:

   • Navigate to Domains > Document Root in cPanel.
   • Point the domain or subdomain to the cloned repository’s public folder (e.g., /home/username/sngine/public).

2. Install Dependencies:
   If your Sngine requires Composer or npm dependencies:

   bash

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   cd /home/username/sngine composer install npm install

3. Update the .env File:
   Modify the .env file in your repository to match the production server’s database and environment variables.

   Example:

   env

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   DB_HOST=127.0.0.1 DB_DATABASE=sngine DB_USERNAME=your_db_user DB_PASSWORD=your_password

4. Set File Permissions:
   Ensure necessary files and folders have the correct permissions. For example:

   bash

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   chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache

Step 6: Automating Deployments

1. Enable Deployment:
   In the Git Version Control section, enable Automatic Deployments to push updates directly from the repository.

2. Set Deployment Scripts:
   Add deployment commands (e.g., running migrations, clearing cache) in the Post-Receive Script section:

   bash

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   php artisan migrate php artisan cache:clear

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. SSH Permission Denied:

   • Ensure your private key is loaded into the cPanel SSH agent.
   • Re-add the public key to your Git hosting platform.

2. File Permission Errors:

   • Run the following command to reset permissions:
     bash

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     chmod -R 775 /home/username/sngine

3. Database Connection Issues:

   • Verify your .env file credentials.
   • Ensure the database user has sufficient privileges.

Real-Life Example

Case Study: CommunityHub
CommunityHub, a thriving Sngine-based platform, struggled with manual updates and deployments. After integrating Git with cPanel, they automated their deployment pipeline. This reduced downtime by 80% and ensured consistent updates across their staging and production environments.

Conclusion

Deploying Sngine using Git and cPanel is a powerful way to streamline your development workflow and ensure a smooth user experience. By following these steps, you can maintain, update, and grow your Sngine project effectively.