Cloud Features & Functions

Magento Commerce Cloud is a hosting platform built on AWS to host Commerce projects.

Platform Overview

• Built on Platform.sh infrastructure
• Includes many value-add features
• Magento manages both code and environment
• Most qualified hosting platform for Commerce

There are two editions of Magento Commerce Cloud:

• Dedicated hosting environment (dedicated AWS instances)
• Three server setups for fault tolerance
• B2B module (install manually via Composer, like on-premise)
• 8 available active environments
• More structured deployment path

Starter utilizes the master branch for production. Code merges from staging to master deploy to production.

Key Concept: Opposite Flows

• Code Flow: Integration → Staging → Master (Production)
• Data Flow: Production → Staging → Integration (opposite direction!)

1. master: Production environment
   • Should have no changes made directly to it
   • Code pushed to staging automatically flows to master
2. staging: Pre-production environment
   • Checked out from master
   • Closely replicates production with read-only file system
   • Branch from which you create integration branches
   • No direct changes should be made
3. integration branches: Where work happens
   • Can have two active integration environments (activated in Cloud control panel)
   • Can push as many branches as you wish
   • Named whatever you wish (only "magic" names are staging and master)

1. Check out staging
2. Pull latest code for staging from platform remote
3. Create integration environment branch (named as desired)
4. Optionally create feature branch for specific work
5. Make changes on feature branch (if used)
6. Merge to integration branch and push → Deploys to integration environment if activated
7. Merge integration to staging → Deploys to staging environment
8. Final testing and approval
9. Push to master → Releases to production

Pro is more structured than Starter. The integration branch is where you create branches to develop new features.

Key Differences from Starter

• Primary branch: integration (not staging)
• master, staging, and integration are all protected (GitLab terms)
• Child branches from integration activate environments
• Must branch from integration, not staging

Branch Hierarchy

• No "hierarchy" of branches—staging is just "special"
• For Pro: must branch from integration
• For Starter: branch from staging

Module Management

• Enable new modules locally first: bin/magento module:enable MODULE/NAME
• Include app/etc/config.php in Git repository
• Modules not explicitly disabled in app/etc/config.php are automatically enabled

Environment Activation & Data

• When new environment is activated, data is automatically copied from parent environment
• Keep data regulations in mind—customer data will be copied!
• Lead developer determines which branches should be activated as environments

Git Hosting Options

You can use GitHub, GitLab, or BitBucket instead of Magento git hosting.

• Magento git benefit: See logs in Terminal when you git push
• GitLab/GitHub benefit: Protect specific branches to prevent accidental pushes

Setup Steps

1. Clone repository to your system
   • Click "git" (with right arrow) to see git clone path
   • Can use magento-cloud commands (e.g., magento-cloud checkout)
2. Configure project locally
   • Use master branch for Starter projects
   • Use integration branch for Pro projects
3. Push to appropriate branch
4. SSH into production and configure:
   • Create admin user
   • If Magento NOT installed, deploy will attempt auto-install

If you need to reset an environment:

1. SSH into the branch's environment
2. Run bin/magento setup:uninstall
3. Clear all writeable files: rm -rf ~/*
4. Flush Redis: redis-cli -h redis.internal FLUSHALL
5. Push an empty commit to the branch
6. Install Magento/import database

View Credentials

echo $MAGENTO_CLOUD_RELATIONSHIPS | base64 --d | json_pp

Shows database and Redis credentials.

• Magento Commerce Cloud Guide
• Cloud Architecture
• Starter Architecture
• Pro Architecture
• Pro Develop and Deploy Workflow