# Deploy WordPress from Git with Managed MySQL (Step-by-Step)

Run WordPress like a modern app: Git deploys, managed MySQL, automatic HTTPS, persistent uploads and a step-by-step migration of an existing WordPress site.

URL: https://blog.dockhosting.dev/host-wordpress-site
Published: 2026-10-21 · Updated: 2026-10-21 · Author: Doughmi ILYAS

## Summary

- WordPress runs like any PHP app: tuned PHP-FPM with opcache, managed MySQL or MariaDB, and automatic HTTPS.
- Read database credentials from the environment in wp-config.php, and keep the code in Git so staging and rollbacks just work.
- Uploads must live on persistent storage (Hobby and up) or in object storage: a redeploy replaces the container's files.

ort const meta = {
  title: "Deploy WordPress from Git with Managed MySQL (Step-by-Step)",
  seoTitle: "Deploy WordPress from Git with Managed MySQL",
  description:
    "Run WordPress like a modern app: Git deploys, managed MySQL, automatic HTTPS, persistent uploads and a step-by-step migration of an existing WordPress site.",
  date: "2026-10-21",
  category: "Guides",
  tags: ["WordPress", "PHP", "MySQL", "Hosting", "Tutorial"],
  stack: ["wordpress", "php", "mysql"],
  tryLabel: "WordPress site",
  command: "dock deploy",
  takeaways: [
    "WordPress runs like any PHP app: tuned PHP-FPM with opcache, managed MySQL or MariaDB, and automatic HTTPS.",
    "Read database credentials from the environment in wp-config.php, and keep the code in Git so staging and rollbacks just work.",
    "Uploads must live on persistent storage (Hobby and up) or in object storage: a redeploy replaces the container's files.",
  ],
  faq: [
    {
      q: "Can I host WordPress for free?",
      a: "Yes, for trying it out. DockHosting's Free plan runs a real WordPress site with a managed MySQL database on a free .dockhosting.cloud subdomain. It sleeps when idle, and media uploads aren't persistent, so for a live site use Hobby ($4/month): always on, your own domain, 1 GB persistent storage and daily database backups.",
    },
    {
      q: "Does it work with plugins and themes?",
      a: "Yes. It's standard WordPress on PHP 8.1 to 8.3. Commit themes and plugins to the repository so every deploy is identical, rather than installing them from the admin screen.",
    },
    {
      q: "How do I move an existing WordPress site?",
      a: "Export the database (mysqldump or a plugin), import it into the managed MySQL database, commit wp-content to Git, deploy, then update the site URL if the domain changed. Cut DNS over when it works.",
    },
  ],
};

Classic WordPress hosting means FTP, a cPanel, and hoping nobody changed a plugin on the live site. You can run WordPress like a modern app instead: **code in Git, a managed database, HTTPS by default and repeatable deploys.**

## How WordPress runs on DockHosting

- **Detection:** a `wp-config.php` (or `composer.json`) marks the project as PHP.
- **Runtime:** production PHP-FPM with opcache and tuned FPM workers. Common extensions (gd, curl, mbstring, pdo, redis) are preinstalled.
- **Database:** managed **MySQL** or **MariaDB** on a private network.
- **HTTPS:** automatic on your `.dockhosting.cloud` subdomain and on custom domains.
- **Pricing:** flat, with no visitor or bandwidth metering.

## 1. Put the site in Git

Commit WordPress core (or install it with Composer), your theme and your plugins. Don't commit `wp-content/uploads` or secrets:

```text
# .gitignore
wp-content/uploads/
.env
```

## 2. Read credentials from the environment

Attach a managed MySQL database to the project. Its connection details are injected into the environment, so `wp-config.php` reads them instead of hard-coding them:

```php
// wp-config.php
$db = parse_url(getenv('DATABASE_URL'));

define('DB_NAME', ltrim($db['path'], '/'));
define('DB_USER', $db['user']);
define('DB_PASSWORD', $db['pass']);
define('DB_HOST', $db['host'] . (isset($db['port']) ? ':' . $db['port'] : ''));

// Generate these once at https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/ and store them as variables.
define('AUTH_KEY', getenv('AUTH_KEY'));
// … SECURE_AUTH_KEY, LOGGED_IN_KEY, NONCE_KEY and the four salts the same way

// Behind the platform's HTTPS proxy:
if (($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO'] ?? '') === 'https') {
    $_SERVER['HTTPS'] = 'on';
}
```

> Turn off file editing in the admin with `define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);`. Changes belong in Git, not on the live server.

## 3. Deploy

```bash
curl -fsSL https://cli.dockhosting.dev/install.sh | sh   # Windows: irm https://cli.dockhosting.dev/install.ps1 | iex
dock login
dock deploy
```

Open `https://<project>.dockhosting.cloud` and run the WordPress installer, or import your existing database first (step 5).

## 4. Uploads need persistent storage

Each deploy starts a fresh container, so files written to its disk don't survive a redeploy. Media uploads need somewhere permanent:

- **Persistent storage** on paid plans (1 GB on Hobby, 5 GB on Pro, 20 GB on Team) for `wp-content/uploads`, or
- **Object storage** through an offload plugin, for large media libraries.

The Free plan is great for trying things out, but use Hobby or above for a site where people upload images.

## 5. Migrate an existing site

1. **Export the database:** `mysqldump -u USER -p DBNAME > site.sql` (or use a backup plugin).
2. **Import it** into the managed database. Public database access for desktop tools is available on Hobby and up.
3. **Copy uploads** into persistent storage.
4. **Deploy** the Git repository.
5. **Fix URLs** if the domain changed: `wp search-replace 'https://old.com' 'https://new.com'` with WP-CLI.
6. **Add your custom domain** and switch DNS when everything checks out. The certificate is issued automatically.

## Performance basics

- opcache is already on, so PHP code is compiled once.
- Add **Redis** as an object cache (the `redis` extension is preinstalled). Attach managed Redis and point your cache plugin at `REDIS_URL`.
- Keep plugins lean. Each one runs on every request.

Daily database backups are included on paid plans (kept 3, 7 or 30 days). Running Laravel next to WordPress? See [Laravel with queues and Redis](/deploy-laravel-queues-scheduler-redis).

## FAQ

### Can I host WordPress for free?

Yes, for trying it out. DockHosting's Free plan runs a real WordPress site with a managed MySQL database on a free .dockhosting.cloud subdomain. It sleeps when idle, and media uploads aren't persistent, so for a live site use Hobby ($4/month): always on, your own domain, 1 GB persistent storage and daily database backups.

### Does it work with plugins and themes?

Yes. It's standard WordPress on PHP 8.1 to 8.3. Commit themes and plugins to the repository so every deploy is identical, rather than installing them from the admin screen.

### How do I move an existing WordPress site?

Export the database (mysqldump or a plugin), import it into the managed MySQL database, commit wp-content to Git, deploy, then update the site URL if the domain changed. Cut DNS over when it works.