PHP Base Images
PHP Docker base images with extensions, process management, and sensible defaults. Four tiers (Slim, Standard, Chromium, Dev) on Debian 12 with Cbox Init built in.
PHP Base Images gives you Docker images with PHP extensions, a process manager, and sensible defaults already set up. Three tiers cover everything from slim API services to full CMS installations, all on Debian 12 with Cbox Init as the process manager.
Three Tiers
Slim
Minimal PHP-FPM with essential extensions only. For APIs, microservices, and applications that manage their own dependencies. Smallest possible image size.
Standard
PHP-FPM with common extensions (GD, intl, zip, pdo_mysql, pdo_pgsql, redis). Covers most Laravel and Symfony applications out of the box.
Chromium
Everything in Standard plus imagick, swoole, pcntl, sockets, and more. For CMS platforms (WordPress, Statamic, Magento) and applications with heavy extension requirements.
Dev
Everything from Chromium but with developer tools like Xdebug, PCOV and SPX.
Why not the official images?
The official PHP Docker images ship without extensions, without a process manager, and without sensible defaults. Every team ends up writing their own Dockerfile that installs extensions, configures PHP-FPM, sets up Nginx, and wires it all together. PHP Base Images gives you a tested, maintained starting point.
Cbox Init included
All tiers include Cbox Init as the process manager. PHP-FPM auto-tuning, health checks, and multi-process orchestration work out of the box.
From the Blog
PHP Docker Images: Three Tiers, One Philosophy
Every team builds their own PHP Docker images. Most end up with 800MB images full of build tools. Here is how I designed
Why We Need a Real PID 1 for PHP Containers
Supervisord and shell scripts are not process managers. Here is why your PHP containers need proper signal handling, zom