Modernizing WordPress Deployment with CI/CD, Docker, and Composer

Introduction

This case study explores how we modernised a WordPress deployment pipeline using Composer, Docker, and Bitbucket Pipelines, deployed on DigitalOcean with monitoring via Site24x7. We introduced environment separation with Non-Production and Production setups, enabling controlled testing, automated deployments, and safer release workflows, all while keeping costs lean using DigitalOcean’s Droplets and Managed MySQL.

Client Details

We supported a Europe-based software development company in successfully modernising their WordPress environments. Our engagement focused on building a robust, automated deployment pipeline and implementing infrastructure best practices, enabling their team to ship updates confidently and securely.

Pain Point / Problem Scenario

The legacy setup involved a single WordPress instance running on a VPS with manual updates and plugin management. Several challenges emerged:

• No separation between staging and production: any mistake affected live users
• Manual plugin updates and WordPress core changes led to downtime
• No rollback mechanism or deployment visibility
• Lack of automated testing or code quality control
• Minimal monitoring—most issues were caught post-incident
• High developer onboarding time due to inconsistent environments

Solution

Overview

Environment Structure

We introduced two isolated environments:

Architecture Diagram

Deployment & Workflow

Project Structure

/
├── docker-compose.yml
├── .bitbucket-pipelines.yml
├── composer.json
├── composer.lock
├── web/
│   ├── wp/                # WordPress core (via Composer)
│   └── wp-content/
│       ├── plugins/       # Custom plugins
│       └── themes/        # Custom themes
└── custom-plugins/

Bitbucket Pipelines Configuration

pipelines:
  branches:
    develop:
      - step:
          name: Deploy to Non-Prod
          script:
            - composer install --no-dev
            - docker-compose -f docker-compose-uat.yml up -d --build
            - echo "Deployed to UAT"
    main:
      - step:
          name: Deploy to Production
          trigger: manual
          script:
            - composer install --no-dev
            - docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml up -d --build
            - echo "Deployed to Production"

• Deployments to UAT are automated on push to develop.
• Production deployments are manual (triggered only after UAT approval).

Code Quality

• Custom plugins in wp-content/plugins/ were scanned using SonarQube CLI.
• Integrated into Bitbucket Pipelines before every deployment.
• Static analysis helped detect vulnerabilities and bad coding practices.

Monitoring with Site24x7

Site24x7 allowed proactive action before customers noticed issues.

Cost-Effective Hosting on DigitalOcean

Total monthly cost: ~$100 for two environments, significantly less than comparable AWS or GCP setups with managed services and monitoring.

Benefits

Conclusion

By adopting a modern deployment workflow using Composer, Docker, Bitbucket Pipelines, and DigitalOcean, we transitioned WordPress from a legacy monolith to a maintainable, automated, and secure application. With clear environment separation and monitoring, we achieved faster deployments, better testing discipline, and high confidence in production changes—all while remaining budget-conscious.