Production-Ready Setup: Apache + Laravel + Docker + Dynamic Reverse Proxy for Multiple Users

This updated guide explains how to implement a scalable, production-ready setup where each user gets a Docker container and unique subdomain like user123.wizbrand.com, without creating new Apache VirtualHosts for each.

✅ 1. Apache Configuration (Dynamic Reverse Proxy)

Apache Modules (Enable Once)

sudo a2enmod proxy
sudo a2enmod proxy_http
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Apache Wildcard VirtualHost (Single File)

Edit /opt/lampp/etc/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf or /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName wizbrand.com
    ServerAlias *.wizbrand.com

    ProxyPreserveHost On
    RewriteEngine On

    # Extract user ID from subdomain (e.g., user123)
    RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^user([0-9]+)\.wizbrand\.com$ [NC]
    RewriteRule ^/(.*)$ http://127.0.0.1:9%1/$1 [P,L]

    ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1/
</VirtualHost>
Code language: PHP (php)

Restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

✅ 2. Laravel Controller to Spawn Container and Return URL

Create ContainerController.php:

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;

class ContainerController extends Controller
{
    public function createUserContainer(Request $request)
    {
        $user = Auth::user();
        $containerName = 'user-' . $user->id;
        $port = 9000 + $user->id;

        // Start Docker container mapped to unique port
        shell_exec("docker run -d -p {$port}:80 --name {$containerName} my-image");

        // Return container's unique URL
        return response()->json([
            'url' => "http://user{$user->id}.wizbrand.com"
        ]);
    }
}
Code language: PHP (php)

Add Laravel Route (routes/web.php)

Route::get('/create-container', [ContainerController::class, 'createUserContainer'])->middleware('auth');
Code language: PHP (php)

✅ 3. Domain Setup (Production)

In your domain provider’s DNS (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare), add:

This wildcard allows user123.wizbrand.com → your server.

✅ 4. Local Testing Setup

Add to /etc/hosts (on dev machine)

127.0.0.1 user123.wizbrand.com
127.0.0.1 user456.wizbrand.com
Code language: CSS (css)

Or use:

• nip.io: user123.127.0.0.1.nip.io
• sslip.io: user123.127.0.0.1.sslip.io

✅ 5. Docker Image Assumptions

• Exposes port 80
• Named my-image or configured dynamically

Example container:

docker run -d -p 9123:80 --name user-123 my-image
Code language: CSS (css)

✅ 6. Test Script (Optional Bash)

#!/bin/bash
USER_ID=$1
PORT=$((9000 + USER_ID))
CONTAINER="user-${USER_ID}"

# Launch container
sudo docker run -d -p ${PORT}:80 --name ${CONTAINER} my-image

# Access URL
echo "Container for user ${USER_ID} available at: http://user${USER_ID}.wizbrand.com"
Code language: PHP (php)

Usage:

./create-container.sh 123

🧠 Summary

This approach is clean, scalable, reload-free, and requires just one Apache config regardless of user count. Let me know if you’d like to add Let’s Encrypt SSL automation, container auto-cleanup, or database tracking next.

Rajesh Kumar

I’m a DevOps/SRE/DevSecOps/Cloud Expert passionate about sharing knowledge and experiences. I have worked at Cotocus. I share tech blog at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market tips at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at TrueReviewNow , and SEO strategies at Wizbrand.

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