How to Change Default PHP Version on Ubuntu

If your environment is configured with multiple PHP installations, such as PHP 8.3, PHP 8.2, PHP 7.4, and PHP 5.6, with PHP 7.4 currently serving as the default for both Apache and the command line interface (CLI), you might find yourself in need of switching the default PHP version. It’s common to have various PHP versions for different projects, but only one can be designated as the default at any given time.

This guide is designed to assist you in altering the default PHP version utilized by the CLI and Apache web server. By executing a simple series of commands, you can easily configure your system to use your preferred PHP version.

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For those interested in expanding their PHP setup, you might find our guide on installing PHP 8 and PHP 7 on Ubuntu 22.04 particularly useful.

Switching to PHP 8.3

Before changing to PHP 8.3, it is necessary to disable any previously enabled Apache modules. Use the commands below to deactivate the current Apache module and switch to the PHP 8.3 module. Following that, the listed commands will configure PHP 8.3 as the default version for the command line interface (CLI).

• Apache:

  sudo a2dismod php* 
  sudo a2enmod php8.3 
  sudo systemctl restart apache2 
  

• Command line interface:

  sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php8.3 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar /usr/bin/phar8.3 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar8.3 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phpize /usr/bin/phpize8.3 
  sudo update-alternatives --set php-config /usr/bin/php-config8.3 
  

Note: The phpize8.3 and php-config8.3 command is available in php8.2-dev package. This is more useful for compiling PHP modules using pecl.

Switching to PHP 8.2

Before switching to PHP 8.2, you have to deactivate the previously activated Apache module. The following commands will deactivate the already activated Apache module and then activate PHP 8.2 Apache module. Then the next commands will set PHP 8.2 as the default version for the command line interface (CLI).

• Apache:

  sudo a2dismod php* 
  sudo a2enmod php8.2 
  sudo systemctl restart apache2 
  

• Command line interface:

  sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php8.2 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar /usr/bin/phar8.2 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar8.2 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phpize /usr/bin/phpize8.2 
  sudo update-alternatives --set php-config /usr/bin/php-config8.2 
  

Note: The phpize8.2 and php-config8.2 command is available in php8.2-dev package. This is more useful for compiling PHP modules using pecl.

If you want a different version (eg: PHP 8.1 or PHP 8.0) to be configured as default, just replace 8.2 with the required version.

Switch to PHP 7.4

Similarly, if you need to configure PHP 7.4 as the default version in your system. The following set of commands will change the default PHP to 7.4 for the Apache web server and command line interface.

• Apache:

  sudo a2dismod php* 
  sudo a2enmod php7.4 
  sudo systemctl restart apache2 
  

• Command line interface:

  sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php7.4 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar /usr/bin/phar7.4 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar7.4 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phpize /usr/bin/phpize7.4 
  sudo update-alternatives --set php-config /usr/bin/php-config7.4 
  

Note – The phpize7.4 and php-config7.4 command is available in php7.4-dev package. This is more useful for compiling PHP modules using pecl.

Switch to PHP 5.6

PHP 5.6 is an outdated version. So if you have an application that required PHP 5.6, consider them to upgrade to last PHP version. The following set of commands will change the default PHP to 5.6 for the Apache web server and command line interface.

• Apache:

  sudo a2dismod php* 
  sudo a2enmod php5.6 
  sudo systemctl restart apache2 
  

• Command line interface:

  sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php5.6 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar /usr/bin/phar5.6 
  sudo update-alternatives --set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar5.6  
  sudo update-alternatives --set phpize /usr/bin/phpize5.6 
  sudo update-alternatives --set php-config /usr/bin/php-config5.6 
  

Note: The phpize5.6 and php-config5.6 command is available in php5.6-dev package. This is more useful for compiling PHP modules using pecl.

Conclusion

Switching between different PHP versions for your CLI and Apache web server doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can efficiently manage multiple PHP installations and ensure that your development environment is aligned with your project requirements. This flexibility allows you to work seamlessly across various projects, each with its own set of PHP version dependencies, thereby optimizing your development workflow.