How a Cloud Native Buildpack Bridges AWS Lambda PHP and Bref Extensions

A developer has built a Cloud Native Buildpack for AWS Lambda PHP using Bref, sharing technical details on how it resolves key deployment challenges. Because CNB places apps at /workspace while Lambda requires them at /var/task, a flatten step automatically copies files and restores the Bref entrypoint after each build. PHP extensions from the bref-extra project are installed via a three-tier strategy: first using the crane tool to pull images without a Docker daemon, then falling back to Docker, and finally compiling from source for ARM architectures where pre-built images are unavailable. The buildpack's recipe file currently supports over a dozen extensions including gd, redis, imagick, and mongodb, automating what would otherwise require manual multi-stage Dockerfile steps. The solution prioritizes developer transparency, handling all path and architecture complexity behind the scenes.