Apache, PHP 8.3 FPM and MariaDB 11 on FreeBSD 14

Introduction

This is an updated guide for running Apache 2.4 with Event MPM, PHP 8.3 via PHP-FPM, and MariaDB 11 on FreeBSD 14. All packages are installed via pkg, the binary package manager — no compiling from ports required.

If you are looking for the older guide using FreeBSD 10 and PHP 5.6, it is still here, but the versions covered there are all end-of-life.

Update the system

Before installing anything, update the package index and the base system:

freebsd-update fetch install
pkg update && pkg upgrade

Install Apache 2.4

pkg install apache24

Enable it to start at boot:

sysrc apache24_enable="YES"

Enable Event MPM

Edit /usr/local/etc/apache24/httpd.conf and make sure only the Event MPM module is loaded. Look for the MPM section and adjust:

#LoadModule mpm_prefork_module libexec/apache24/mod_mpm_prefork.so
#LoadModule mpm_worker_module libexec/apache24/mod_mpm_worker.so
LoadModule mpm_event_module libexec/apache24/mod_mpm_event.so

Also uncomment the proxy modules needed for PHP-FPM:

LoadModule proxy_module libexec/apache24/mod_proxy.so
LoadModule proxy_fcgi_module libexec/apache24/mod_proxy_fcgi.so

Add a server name to avoid the startup warning:

ServerName localhost

Install PHP 8.3 with FPM

pkg install php83 php83-extensions mod_php83

Enable PHP-FPM:

sysrc php_fpm_enable="YES"

Copy the default configuration:

cp /usr/local/etc/php.ini-production /usr/local/etc/php.ini

The default PHP-FPM pool listens on 127.0.0.1:9000, which is what we will use. Start it:

service php-fpm start

Install MariaDB 11

pkg install mariadb1011-server

Enable and start it:

sysrc mysql_enable="YES"
service mysql-server start

Secure the installation:

mysql_secure_installation

Set a root password and accept all other defaults.

Configure a virtual host

Create the directory /usr/local/etc/apache24/conf.d/ if it does not exist and add an include at the bottom of httpd.conf:

Include etc/apache24/conf.d/*.conf

Create your site directories:

mkdir -p /usr/local/www/mysite/{public_html,logs}
chown -R www:www /usr/local/www/mysite/

Create /usr/local/etc/apache24/conf.d/mysite.conf:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName mysite.example.com
    DocumentRoot "/usr/local/www/mysite/public_html"

    <FilesMatch "\.php$">
        SetHandler "proxy:fcgi://127.0.0.1:9000"
    </FilesMatch>

    <Directory "/usr/local/www/mysite/public_html">
        Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog "/usr/local/www/mysite/logs/error.log"
    CustomLog "/usr/local/www/mysite/logs/access.log" common
</VirtualHost>

Start Apache and verify

service apache24 start

Verify the MPM in use:

httpd -V | grep MPM

Expected output:

Server MPM: event

Create a test file:

echo "<?php phpinfo();" > /usr/local/www/mysite/public_html/info.php

Open http://mysite.example.com/info.php in a browser. Look for:

Server API    FPM/FastCGI

That confirms PHP-FPM is handling requests. Delete the file once verified:

rm /usr/local/www/mysite/public_html/info.php

Summary

Component	Version
FreeBSD	14
Apache	2.4 Event MPM
PHP	8.3 FPM
MariaDB	11