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Deploying a LimeSurvey App

Introduction

LimeSurvey is an open-source survey platform built with PHP. Deploying LimeSurvey with a Dockerfile on Klutch.sh gives you reproducible builds, managed secrets, and persistent storage for responses and uploads—all managed from klutch.sh/app. This guide covers installation, repository prep, a production-ready Dockerfile, deployment steps, Nixpacks overrides, sample configuration, and production tips.

Prerequisites

  • A Klutch.sh account (create one)
  • A GitHub repository containing your LimeSurvey code/config (GitHub is the only supported git source)
  • Docker familiarity and PHP 8.1+ knowledge
  • Database credentials (MySQL/MariaDB)
  • Storage for uploads, responses, and logs

For onboarding, see the Quick Start.

Architecture and ports

  • LimeSurvey serves HTTP; set the internal container port to 8080.
  • MySQL/MariaDB should run as a separate Klutch.sh TCP app, exposed on port 8000, connecting internally on 3306.
  • Persistent storage is required for uploads and recommended for logs/cache.

Repository layout

limesurvey/
├── application/            # LimeSurvey app code
├── upload/                 # User uploads and survey files (mount as volume)
├── Dockerfile              # Must be at repo root for auto-detection
├── composer.json
├── composer.lock
└── .env.example            # Template only; no secrets

Keep secrets out of Git; store them in Klutch.sh environment variables.

Installation (local) and starter commands

Install dependencies and run locally before pushing to GitHub:

Terminal window
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader
php -S 0.0.0.0:8080 -t .

Optional helper start.sh for portability and Nixpacks fallback:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
php -S 0.0.0.0:8080 -t .

Make it executable with chmod +x start.sh.

Dockerfile for LimeSurvey (production-ready)

Place this Dockerfile at the repo root; Klutch.sh auto-detects it (no Docker selection in the UI):

FROM php:8.2-apache


RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    libpng-dev libjpeg-dev libfreetype6-dev libzip-dev libicu-dev libxml2-dev libonig-dev git unzip \
    && docker-php-ext-configure gd --with-freetype --with-jpeg \
    && docker-php-ext-install pdo_mysql gd intl zip opcache \
    && a2enmod rewrite \
    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*


WORKDIR /var/www/html


COPY . /var/www/html


RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer && \
    composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader && \
    chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html


ENV PORT=8080


EXPOSE 8080
CMD ["apache2-foreground"]

Notes:

  • Includes common PHP extensions required by LimeSurvey.
  • Keep upload/ writable and on a volume.

Environment variables (Klutch.sh)

Set these in the Klutch.sh app settings (Secrets tab) before deploying:

  • PORT=8080
  • DB_TYPE=mysql
  • DB_HOST=<db-host>
  • DB_PORT=3306
  • DB_NAME=<db-name>
  • DB_USER=<db-user>
  • DB_PASSWORD=<db-password>
  • APP_URL=https://example-app.klutch.sh
  • APP_ENV=production

If you deploy without the Dockerfile and need Nixpacks overrides:

  • NIXPACKS_BUILD_CMD=composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader
  • NIXPACKS_START_CMD=php -S 0.0.0.0:8080 -t .
  • NIXPACKS_INSTALL_PKGS="php82 php82Extensions.pdo_mysql php82Extensions.intl php82Extensions.gd php82Extensions.zip"

These keep LimeSurvey compatible with Nixpacks defaults when a Dockerfile is absent.

Attach persistent volumes

In Klutch.sh storage settings, add mount paths and sizes (no names required):

  • /var/www/html/upload — required for survey uploads and exports.
  • /var/www/html/application/logs — optional if you persist logs locally.

Ensure these paths are writable inside the container.

Deploy LimeSurvey on Klutch.sh (Dockerfile workflow)

  1. Push your repository (with the Dockerfile at the root) to GitHub.
  2. Open klutch.sh/app, create a project, and add an app.
  1. Connect the GitHub repository; Klutch.sh automatically detects the Dockerfile.
  2. Choose HTTP traffic for LimeSurvey.
  3. Set the internal port to 8080.
  4. Add the environment variables above (database settings, app URL, and any NIXPACKS_* overrides if you temporarily deploy without the Dockerfile).
  5. Attach persistent volumes for /var/www/html/upload (and /var/www/html/application/logs if used), selecting sizes that fit your storage needs.
  6. Deploy. Your LimeSurvey instance will be reachable at https://example-app.klutch.sh; attach a custom domain if desired.

For MySQL/MariaDB on Klutch.sh, create a separate TCP app, expose it on port 8000, and point DB_HOST to that endpoint (internal port 3306).

Sample configuration snippet

Set environment-driven config in application/config/config.php (use env vars, not hardcoded secrets):

$config['debug'] = 0;
$config['sitename'] = 'LimeSurvey on Klutch.sh';

Health checks and production tips

  • Use a reverse proxy probe on /admin or a lightweight route to verify availability.
  • Enforce HTTPS at the edge; forward HTTP to port 8080 internally.
  • Keep dependencies and image tags pinned; upgrade intentionally.
  • Monitor disk usage on upload/ and resize before it fills.
  • Back up your database and uploads regularly; do not rely on container filesystems for durability.

LimeSurvey on Klutch.sh combines reproducible Docker builds with managed secrets, persistent storage for survey uploads, and flexible HTTP/TCP routing. With the Dockerfile at the repo root and port 8080 configured, you can deliver reliable survey experiences without extra YAML or workflow overhead.