How to Change Default PHP Version on Ubuntu

On your system, if you have installed multiple versions of PHP like PHP 8.2, PHP 7.4 and PHP 5.6. Currently, PHP 7.4 is the default version set for Apache and the command line interface (CLI). Maybe you have any other PHP versions installed on your system. Only one PHP version can be set as default at any time.

This tutorial will help you to change the default PHP version for CLI and Apache webserver. This can be achieved with a few sets of commands.

Switch 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PHP 5.6 is an outdated version.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

This tutorial helps you to change the default PHP versions on an Ubuntu system. This helps you to change the default PHP version for the Apache web server and the command line interface.