Self Guide for Deploying Laravel and React Applications on a VPS

To deploy a Laravel and React application to a VPS, start by preparing the server environment with an initial VPS setup. Update the system and install essential dependencies like Apache, unzip, curl, and git. For the Laravel backend deployment, add the ondrej/php PPA repository and install PHP and required extensions. Install Composer and set up a MySQL database with a new user and database for the Laravel application. Deploy the Laravel application by cloning the repository, installing dependencies, and configuring the .env file with database credentials. Generate the application key, run migrations, and configure Apache for Laravel by creating a new configuration file and enabling the site. Set proper file permissions and configure Supervisor for queue workers and the Laravel scheduler. For the React frontend deployment, build the React application on the local development machine and transfer the build to the VPS. Configure Apache for React by creating a new configuration file and enabling the site. Secure the applications with SSL by installing Certbot and obtaining a free SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. Set up process management for Laravel using Supervisor and configure the Laravel scheduler. Finally, consider advanced configurations like setting up a load balancer with Nginx and configuring Redis for caching. Regularly update and maintain the application by automating Laravel updates and monitoring the application's performance.