Check PHP Version and Install on Ubuntu 24.04

Find out what version of PHP is installed

To check your PHP version on Ubuntu 24.04, open your terminal and run the command php -v or php –version. This displays the currently active PHP version along with build details and the release date directly on your screen, letting you confirm your setup in seconds.

Run the commands below to check the PHP version in your Ubuntu Linux terminal.

php -v
# OR
php --version

Once you run the command above, it should output lines similar to these:

PHP version 7.4.3 is available in the Ubuntu repository, but this fact does not guarantee that the absolute latest PHP version can be installed. Newer PHP versions often require specific system updates or manual compilation to install on Ubuntu 24.04.

More information on the installed PHP version can be found by running the commands below:

apt info php

When you run the commands above, it should list output similar to this:

Package: php
Version: 2:7.4+75
Priority: optional
Section: php
Source: php-defaults (75)
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Debian PHP Maintainers <team+pkg-php@tracker.debian.org>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug

The most reliable way of finding out what version of PHP is used for a specific website is to use the phpinfo() function. This prints various information about the PHP server, including its version.

To use this step to find the PHP version, create a file named phpinfo.php in your web server's root directory (the main folder holding your website files). This is typically located here:

sudo nano /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

Copy and paste the line below into the file, then save and close it.

<?php phpinfo( ); ?>

Next, open your browser and go to localhost/phpinfo.php or your domain name (example.com/phpinfo.php). The PHP server version will be displayed on your screen:

Find out what PHP modules are installed

To check installed PHP modules on Ubuntu 24.04, run the command dpkg --get-selections | grep -i php in your terminal. This lists every PHP package currently present on your system so you can see which extensions and modules are active.

dpkg --get-selections | grep -i php

After executing the commands above, you should see output that resembles the lines shown below.

libapache2-mod-php8.1				install
php-common					install
php-fpm						install
php7.4-cli					install
php7.4-common					install
php7.4-fpm					install
php7.4-json					install
php7.4-opcache					install
php7.4-readline					install
php8.1						install
php8.1-cli					install
php8.1-common					install
php8.1-opcache					install
php8.1-readline					install
ftp

The length of this list can vary based on your environment.

To list modules compiled with PHP, run the commands below:

Ubuntu 24.04 installs the latest stable PHP version by default. Projects requiring a different release need a third-party software source added first. This is common when you need an older PHP version or a very new PHP version.

Add a third-party repository if you need to install a version not available in the default Ubuntu repositories.

Adding a repository in Ubuntu Linux lets you install specific software versions, such as PHP 8.2. Use the commands below to add this repository.

First, install the necessary commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install software-properties-common

Next, run the commands below to add the repository.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt-get update

After that, you can search for and install a specific version of PHP.

apt-cache showpkg php

Install a specific version using the command format below:

sudo apt-get install php8.x=<complete version name>

Replace 'x' with the PHP minor version number (e.g., 2 for 8.2) and '<complete version number>' with the full version number available for Ubuntu.

Here’s an example:

sudo apt install php8.1=8.1.0-1+ubuntu20.04.1+deb.sury.org+1

Now the new version should reflect as shown below:

PHP 8.1.0 (cli) (built: Nov 25 2021 20:22:03) (NTS)
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.1.0, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
    with Zend OPcache v8.1.0, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies

That should do it!

Keeping track of active PHP versions is crucial for security and application compatibility.

• Understanding the PHP version running on your system is crucial for compatibility and security.
• PHP installation on Ubuntu is straightforward and can be tailored to specific versions using third-party repositories.
• The phpinfo() function is a helpful tool for verifying PHP configuration and installed modules.
• Regularly checking for updates and managing PHP versions ensures optimal performance for your web applications.
• Knowing how to list installed PHP modules enhances your ability to troubleshoot and manage your server environment effectively.