How to Switch between Multiple PHP Version on Ubuntu

    RahulBy 2 Mins ReadUpdated:

    On your system, if you have installed multiple versions of PHP (eg PHP 7.4 and PHP 5.6 both). PHP 7.4 is running as default PHP for Apache and CLI. For any requirement, you need to use PHP 5.6. Then you don’t need to remove PHP 7.4. You can simply switch your PHP version to default used for Apache and command line.

    For example, your server has PHP 7.4 and PHP 5.6 both version’s installed. Now following example will help you to switch between both versions. The PHP 5.6 is configured as default PHP version for Apache and CLI. Let’s make PHP 7.4 as default PHP for Apache server and CLI.

    Switch From PHP 5.6 => PHP 7.4

    The PHP 5.6 is set as default version in your system, and you need to switch to PHP 7.4. Run the following commands to switch for Apache and command line.

    Apache:-

    sudo a2dismod php5.6
sudo a2enmod php7.4
sudo service apache2 restart

    Command Line:-

    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 From PHP 7.4 => PHP 5.6

    Default PHP 7.4 is set on your system and you need to switch to PHP 5.6. Now run the following commands to switch for Apache and command line.

    Apache:-

    sudo a2dismod php7.4
sudo a2enmod php5.6
sudo service apache2 restart

    Command Line:-

    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 switch between multiple PHP versions on Ubuntu system. This helps you to change default PHP version on your Apache server and command line interface.

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    32 Comments

      • paul on

        Would you expect the output of my test info.php to show PHP 5.6?
        #php -i | grep “Loaded Configuration File”
        Loaded Configuration File => /etc/php/5.6/cli/php.ini

        But the info.php still shows
        Configuration File (php.ini) Path /etc/php/7.4/fpm
        Loaded Configuration File /etc/php/7.4/fpm/php.ini

        Reply
    4. Danial on

      I made a bash function for this process. i hope it be useful:

      #disable current php and enable php with passed version
      function switch_php {
      sudo a2dismod php$(php -v | grep -o -E ‘[0-9.]+’ -m 1 | cut -c 1-3 | head -n 1);
      sudo a2enmod php$1;
      sudo service apache2 restart;
      sudo update-alternatives –set php /usr/bin/php$1;
      sudo update-alternatives –set phar /usr/bin/phar$1;
      sudo update-alternatives –set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar$1;
      sudo update-alternatives –set phpize /usr/bin/phpize$1;
      sudo update-alternatives –set php-config /usr/bin/php-config$1;
      }

      //sample:
      $ switch_php 7.1
      or
      $ switch_php 5.6

      Reply
    6. Jesus on

      Thanks for the tutorial, I was struggling trying to use PHP 7.3 in Ubuntu 20 and this helped me to configure things as needed.

      BTW, do you know of any way besides pecl install –force to build an extension for different PHP version?

      Reply
    9. daniel on

      How can I check which modules have each php versions without having to switch them and run “php -m” ?
      Thank you

      Reply
    10. AZAHAR UDDIN AHMED on

      I’m using Centos 7 and I want to switch default version from ” PHP 5.4.16 (cli) ” to ” PHP 7.0.27 ” in shall so for that what would be the command?

      Reply
    12. Shiv on

      Great post Rahul,

      Even I was on the same issue few months back. Similar article I found on a tech blog which saved my day.

      Great explanation and detailing. Keep up the good work.

      Reply
    20. valentin on

      Ne fonctionne pas du tout sur un ubuntu 16.04
      Pour se la raconter dans la signature y a du monde, mais pour filer des informations pertinentes la y a plus personne

      Reply
    22. Eduardo on

      Also Consider:

      From PHP 5.6 => PHP 7.1

      update-alternatives –set phar /usr/bin/phar7.1 && update-alternatives –set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar7.1 && systemctl restart apache2

      From PHP 7.1 => PHP 5.6

      update-alternatives –set phar /usr/bin/phar5.6 && update-alternatives –set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar5.6 && systemctl restart apache2

      Reply
    23. RunCloud on

      Great post you have here, Rahul. Did you know that if you manage your server with RunCloud, you can just change the PHP version just a click. We developed RunCloud which will configure your server to the best configuration so you can focus only on things that matters. Check out http://runcloud.io to get your 15 days free trial.

      Reply

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