Specify PHP ini file per vhost, with FastCGI/PHP-fpm configuration

Question

Okay, going slightly crazy trying to figure this out. (I have read hundreds of questions/answers, and google articles, but none have answered it)

I have just changed from using mod_php to using PHP through FastCGI and fpm, using the method described in this question, purely because I was under the impression it was 'easy' to specify php.ini files for individual vhosts using this set-up.

What I'm pulling my hair out over, is how can I specify a custom PHP ini file each vhost uses?

Luckily, It's only on my test rig so far ... But I am hoping to do the same on my production server if I can ever figure this out

Answer 1

I thought I may as-well post the whole process I took to configure fpm with pools, as @ChristianM mentioned, because I've not yet found a full explanation on how to do it.

The first part of this is mostly a copy of an AskUbuntu post: https://askubuntu.com/questions/378734/how-to-configure-apache-to-run-php-as-fastcgi-on-ubuntu-12-04-via-terminal/527227#comment905702_527227

The last part is how to configure pools, and get the vhost to use the relevent pool settings

Here it goes:

Install the apache mpm worker (Explanation of prefork/wroker and event at http://www.vps.net/blog/2013/04/08/apache-mpms-prefork-worker-and-event/):

sudo apt-get install apache2-mpm-worker

Install fastcgi and php5-fpm:

sudo apt-get install libapache2-mod-fastcgi php5-fpm

Now enable mods you need, and disable those you don't:

sudo a2dismod php5 mpm_prefork
sudo a2enmod actions fastcgi alias mpm_worker

Create the php5.fcgi file and give the webserver permission to use it.

sudo touch /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5.fcgi
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /usr/lib/cgi-bin

Create a global config for php5-fpm

sudo nano /etc/apache2/conf-available/php5-fpm.conf

paste in the following (we'll use a socket instead of IP address)

<IfModule mod_fastcgi.c> 
  AddHandler php5.fcgi .php 
  Action php5.fcgi /php5.fcgi 
  Alias /php5.fcgi /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5.fcgi 
  FastCgiExternalServer /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5.fcgi -socket /var/run/php5-fpm.sock -pass-header Authorization -idle-timeout 3600 
  <Directory /usr/lib/cgi-bin>
    Require all granted
  </Directory> 
</IfModule>

Note: Ensure all configs follow the same new 'Require all granted'/'Require all denied' syntax ... Otherwise you'll feel the pain after restarting ...

Enable the php5-fpm conf

sudo a2enconf php5-fpm

Restart apache and fpm

sudo service apache2 restart && sudo service php5-fpm restart

This setup essentially creates a global fastcgi configuration for php, which uses the file /etc/php5/fpm/php.ini file.

If you have multiple vhosts, that are going to need different php configurations, continue with the example below

First, within the /etc/php5/fpm/pool.d dir, you will find the default www.conf file. Copy this, naming it something relevent:

sudo cp /etc/php5/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php5/fpm/pool.d/domain2.conf

Edit this file, changing the pool name:

[...]

[domain2]

[...]

And change name of the listen socket to something relevent:

[...]

listen = /var/run/php5-fpm-domain2.sock

[...]

Then copy the /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5.fcgi file, again naming it something relevent:

cp /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5.fcgi /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5-domain2.fcgi

Now you're ready to add the mod_fastcgi module to the domain2 vhost. It's almost the same as the one described above, but notice the changes for 'Alias','FastCgiServer' and '-socket'

<VirtualHost *:80>
   ServerName domain2.com

   [...]

   <IfModule mod_fastcgi.c>
     AddHandler php5.fcgi .php
     Action php5.fcgi /php5.fcgi
     Alias /php5.fcgi /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5-domain2.fcgi
     FastCgiExternalServer /usr/lib/cgi-bin/php5-domain2.fcgi -socket /var/run/php5-fpm-domain2.sock -pass-header Authorization -idle-timeout 3600
    <Directory /usr/lib/cgi-bin>
      Require all granted
    </Directory>
  </IfModule>

  [...]

</VirtualHost>

Restart apache and fpm

sudo service apache2 restart && sudo service php5-fpm restart

Now to test changes.

In your new /etc/php5/fpm/pool.d/domain2.conf file, add a php value change (I've chosen the session.name value):

[...]

php_admin_value[session.name] = 'DOMAIN2'

[...]

Now test the configuration before restarting fpm:

sudo php5-fpm -t

It will tell you if the configuration fails, but more importantly will tell you if your configuration is fine. Then you can go ahead and restart fpm:

sudo service php5-fpm restart

And finally, if you want to be super sure the php value has been set, create info.php within your site, and just add:

<?php
  phpinfo();
?>

Answer 2

Unfortunately it is not possible to set a php.ini file per vhost. What you can do is configure different php-fpm pools and give each a set of php configuration values that set/override something from the (shared) default config. See fpm configuration on how to do that.

Example config with different pools