The self-hosted CMS on the selection list requires PHP 8.4 to start, how to check each environmental dependency item by item?
When the operation requirements are written in the selection list, break it down into four columns for item-by-item verification: language runtime, framework version, database, optional extensions. A system starting with PHP 8.4 means that the host needs to move PHP version, which is a mandatory item; optional items should be marked separately to avoid discovering that the extension is not installed during deployment. The verification table should be completed before purchasing the host, rather than补环境 after going online.
Why do we need to split the running requirements into four columns
The format in the third-party self-hosted list can be used as a sample: There are systems that label themselves as a combination of Laravel and React, requiring PHP 8.4 or above; Strapi, Directus, Ghost and other Node.js runtime systems, with Ghost additionally requiring MySQL 8, and Payload being a TypeScript project. These entries read as 'requirements' when mixed on a single line, but splitting them into four columns can reveal the workload:
- Runtime language: Determines what the host installs and also determines who will do the subsequent upgrades.
- Framework version: Determines compatibility range, major version upgrades often come with expansion and theme adaptation windows.
- Database: Determines instance specifications and backup strategies, the version lower limit affects whether the existing libraries can be reused.
- Optional extensions: Determine feature switches, missing extensions usually report errors during runtime.
The value of splitting columns lies in distinguishing between 'must satisfy now' and 'affected by upgrades later', many selection disputes actually arise from the confusion between the two.
Runtime major version affects the upgrade window
This requirement for starting with PHP 8.4 and similar conditions, on the surface, is just a version number, but it actually affects the rhythm: if the existing host is a lower version, either upgrade the runtime first and then install the system, or run two versions in parallel on the same machine for migration; both paths require time for regression testing. Upgrading to a major version of the runtime will also affect extension compatibility, making it more reasonable to do this before content migration, to avoid changing two layers at the same time.
The deployment logic of the GoLang series is different. Taking the technical stack of GoLang with Iris framework and GORM as the data layer as an example, the output is a single executable file, the host side does not require a resident language runtime, and dependencies are converged in the binary and database connections. As a result, the verification items are concentrated elsewhere: process guard mode, default listening port, and reverse proxy rules.
The corresponding relationship between database and host configuration
The database dependency directly affects the specifications and backup scope of the host. When only listing
Checklist before purchasing a host
| Check items | The content that needs to be written clearly | Consequences when not met |
|---|---|---|
| Language runtime | Version minimum, whether resident, who upgrades | Cannot be installed or must migrate in parallel version |
| Framework version | Main version compatibility range, extension requirements | Function interruption during major version upgrade |
| Database | Type, version lower limit, character set | Unable to reuse existing instances or require data conversion |
| Optional extension | List mandatory and optional columns | Runtime error, high troubleshooting cost |
| Port and proxy | Default port, reverse proxy rules | For example, the 8001 port not forwarded causes external access to be unavailable |
| Backup and restore | Does it contain static files, and can it be recovered independently | There is no available rollback point when an issue occurs |
| Deployment method | One-click deployment panel, Docker image, or manual | The rollback time does not match the operation and maintenance habits |
When filling out this form, do three things in order: first, confirm the mandatory items on the checklist, then install it once on the test machine to record missing dependencies, and finally write the person responsible for ports, backups, and upgrades into the operation and maintenance records.
Common questions
Question: If the checklist only writes running requirements and does not write optional extensions, how to make up for it?Answer: The installation result of the test machine should be taken as the standard. The missing items reported during the first deployment are the actual list of optional extensions. Write them down one by one, and prepare the same record for the formal environment.
Question: When the host is running an old version, should an upgrade be performed specifically for the selection?Answer: First, look at the impact of the upgrade. Migrating to a new version in parallel on the same host is usually safer than performing a local major version upgrade, and then recover the old environment after the switch is completed.
Question: How much difference in cost between the Go system and the PHP system on the host?Answer: The difference lies mainly in the resident overhead and concurrent carrying capacity, not in whether it can run. It is more reliable to determine the position by measuring the resident memory with the same load aperture than to make a budget judgment based on language.