Secure Cloud Deployment of WordPress with Docker, NGINX, SSL, GitHub & Copilot

 🎯 Objective
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Use Docker Compose to install WordPress and MySQL

Configure NGINX as a reverse proxy

Set up SSL using Let’s Encrypt

Deploy the containerized app to a cloud server (e.g., AWS EC2, DigitalOcean, or Azure)

Use GitHub and Copilot for collaborative configuration and version control

⏱️ Duration
3.5–4 hours (can be split into 2–3 sessions)

👥 Target Audience
Intermediate web developers or DevOps learners

Outreach teams building secure public-facing sites

Students or professionals with basic Docker and Git knowledge

📦 Materials Needed
Cloud server (Ubuntu-based VM on AWS, Azure, or DigitalOcean)

Domain name (optional but recommended for SSL)

Docker, Docker Compose, Git, and VS Code installed

GitHub account + Copilot access

SSH access to cloud server

🗂️ Module Breakdown
1️⃣ Recap: Local Docker + WordPress Setup (30 min)
Review Docker Compose setup for WordPress + MySQL

Confirm local deployment works

Push code to GitHub repo

2️⃣ Cloud Server Setup (30 min)
Goal: Prepare remote environment Steps:

Launch Ubuntu VM on cloud provider

SSH into server

Install Docker and Docker Compose

Clone GitHub repo to server

Classroom Cue: “Your website is going global!”

3️⃣ NGINX Reverse Proxy Configuration (45 min)
Goal: Route traffic to WordPress container Steps:

Create nginx.conf file with reverse proxy rules

Use Copilot to scaffold config:

nginx
server {
  listen 80;
  server_name yourdomain.com;

  location / {
    proxy_pass http://localhost:8080;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
  }
}
Add NGINX service to docker-compose.yml

Test routing with curl or browser

Visual Tag: [NGINX flow diagram]

4️⃣ SSL Setup with Let’s Encrypt (45 min)
Goal: Secure site with HTTPS Steps:

Install Certbot on server

Run Certbot to generate certificates:

Code
sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d yourdomain.com
Update nginx.conf to include SSL:

nginx
listen 443 ssl;
ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem;
Reload NGINX and verify HTTPS

Classroom Cue: “Lock your site with a padlock!”

5️⃣ GitHub + Copilot for Teamwork (30 min)
Goal: Collaborate on config and deployment Steps:

Use Git branches for NGINX and SSL config

Use Copilot to suggest improvements and comments

Create pull requests and review changes

Document deployment steps in README.md

Visual Tag: [GitHub workflow + Copilot suggestions]

6️⃣ Final Deployment and Showcase (30 min)
Goal: Launch and share live site Steps:

Run docker-compose up -d on cloud server

Visit live site via domain

Share links and reflect on teamwork

🧠 Optional Extensions
Add database backups and volume persistence

Use Docker secrets for password management

Deploy via CI/CD pipeline (GitHub Actions)

Outreach adaptation: bilingual content, regional themes, classroom showcase