How to Properly Run PHP Scripts on Google App Engine

Learn how to expertly handle PHP scripts in Google App Engine to process your PHP files correctly with AJAX calls.
---
This video is based on the question stackoverflow.com/q/66490582/ asked by the user 'LJulz' ( stackoverflow.com/u/7645990/ ) and on the answer stackoverflow.com/a/66513245/ provided by the user 'BareNakedCoder' ( stackoverflow.com/u/1911758/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: How to run php script on Google App Engine?

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA meta.stackexchange.com/help/licensing
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Properly Run PHP Scripts on Google App Engine

Google App Engine (GAE) is a powerful platform that allows developers to build and deploy applications in various programming languages. One common challenge developers face when dealing with GAE is correctly running PHP scripts, especially those that you'll interact with using AJAX calls. If you're struggling with your PHP script not executing as expected, you're not alone. Let's dive into how you can resolve this issue and ensure your PHP files are processed properly.

The Problem

You might have encountered a situation where your AJAX call returns the raw PHP code instead of executing it, leaving you puzzled. For instance, consider the AJAX call similar to:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This AJAX request intends to process the contactform-process.php script. However, if the response you receive is simply the raw PHP file, it indicates there's a misconfiguration in your Google App Engine setup.

Understanding the App.yaml Configuration

The app.yaml file controls how GAE handles requests to your application, including which files are treated as static files and which are processed dynamically. A typical configuration might look something like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Issue at Hand

In the configuration above, the first handler matching /contactform-process.php is the one defined as /(.*). This is a static file handler that simply serves the file as-is. Consequently, the PHP script does not execute, and you see the unprocessed PHP code.

The Solution: Rearranging the Handlers

To fix this, you need to ensure that GAE processes your PHP scripts before it treats any requests as static files. You should modify the order of your handlers, placing the PHP processing handler above static file handlers.

Here's the corrected configuration:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Changes Made

The handler for PHP files /(.+ .php)$ and the specific handler for contactform-process.php must come before the generic static file handler /(.*). This ensures that any PHP scripts are processed correctly before being treated as static content.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined above, you should be able to successfully run your PHP scripts in Google App Engine and handle AJAX requests without encountering issues like returning raw PHP code. Remember to pay close attention to the order of your handlers in the app.yaml file. With proper configuration, Google App Engine can serve dynamic content smoothly, helping you build efficient applications.

If you have any questions or run into further issues, feel free to share your experiences. Happy coding!