# Deploy PHP with a git push

Source: https://docs.fortrabbit.com/dev/learn/git-push-deploy
Reviewed: 2026-06-12 12:00:00


## About git push deployment

Git push deployment means that the same `git push` that sends commits to a Git repo also updates the live PHP website. Git is not only a version control system here, but also part of deployment. New to Git? The [Git intro](/dev/learn/git-intro) covers what Git is, how to install it, and where to learn the basics.

Git is efficient. It negotiates with the remote which commits it already has and transfers only the missing objects, compressed into a single packfile. Pushing a one-line fix to a large codebase sends a few kilobytes only. Since every push points to a commit, the deployed state is versioned and reproducible.

Git itself is open source and vendor-neutral. A Git remote can live anywhere — GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or a self-hosted bare repo — the protocol stays the same. fortrabbit integrates with GitHub; see [Git providers](/integrations/git-providers/intro) on how to combine it with others with custom pipelines.

## From git push to live website

There is no special `fortrabbit` Git remote to configure and push to — pushes go to GitHub as usual. The [fortrabbit GitHub App](/platform/deployment/github-app) listens for new commits on the branch that is connected to an [environment](/platform/objects/environment). Each push triggers a deployment pipeline:

1. The GitHub App gets notified about the push and pulls the latest code into a build container.
2. The [build commands](/platform/deployment/build-commands) run, for example `composer install`.
3. The build result is synced into the web space of the environment with rsync — which again transfers only the files that changed.

The [deployment intro](/platform/deployment/intro) covers the pipeline in more detail.

## Get ready

- Have [Git installed](/dev/learn/git-intro) on the local machine.
- Have a [GitHub](https://github.com) account.
- Have a PHP project — plain PHP is fine, frameworks and CMSs work too.
- Have a fortrabbit account, the :ContentLink{href="/signup" text="free trial" prefix="dash"} is enough.

## Step 1: Put the project in a Git repo

Skip ahead if the project is already under version control. Otherwise, open a terminal in the project folder:



```shell
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
```

Before the first commit, add a `.gitignore` file so generated files and secrets stay out of the repo:



```raw
/vendor/
.env
```

The `vendor` folder does not belong in Git — dependencies get installed during deployment. See the [Composer article](/dev/learn/composer) for the reasoning.

## Step 2: Push it to GitHub

Create a new repository on GitHub, then connect it to the local repo and push:



```shell
git remote add origin git@github.com:{{user}}/{{repo}}.git
git push -u origin main
```

This also works the other way around: when creating an app on fortrabbit, the GitHub App can create a fresh empty repo.

## Step 3: Connect the repo to fortrabbit

1. Sign up — or log in — with GitHub.
2. This installs the [fortrabbit GitHub App](/platform/deployment/github-app) on GitHub.
3. On fortrabbit, create an [app](/platform/objects/app).
4. Pick the repository and branch:

- The Git repo maps to the app.
- The Git branch maps to the environment — `main` for production, other branches for [staging](/dev/learn/staging-environments).

During setup, fortrabbit inspects the repo and preconfigures the deployment: when it finds a `composer.json`, the [build commands](/platform/deployment/build-commands) will include `composer install`.

## Step 4: Deploy with a git push

That was the one-time setup. From now on, deployment is part of the normal Git routine:



```shell
git commit -am "Update homepage"
git push
```

Push to deploy is the default [deployment trigger](/platform/deployment/trigger): every push to the connected branch starts a deployment automatically. Follow the progress in the [deployment logs](/platform/deployment/logs) in the dashboard, then open the app URL in the browser to see the change live.

## What gets deployed — and what not

Git only moves code: PHP classes, templates, themes, CSS, JS. Uploads, the database, and other runtime data are not part of the deployment and stay untouched on the environment. Git is also a one-way street here — changes on the web space can not be pulled back into the repo. The [deployment intro](/platform/deployment/intro) explains this separation of code and content.

## Where to go next

- Follow a framework-specific [install guide](/guides) for Laravel, Craft CMS, Kirby, Statamic, or WordPress.
- Run database migrations or clear caches after each deployment with [post-deploy commands](/platform/deployment/post-deploy-commands).
- Set up a [staging environment](/dev/learn/staging-environments) on a second branch.
- Something not working? See [deployment troubleshooting](/platform/deployment/troubleshooting) or :ContactUs{text="contact us"}.

---

- [Git intro](/dev/learn/git-intro)
- [Deployment intro](/platform/deployment/intro)
- [The fortrabbit GitHub App](/platform/deployment/github-app)