How to Install Multiple PHP Versions on Ubuntu 22.04: 7 Easy Steps

Managing multiple PHP versions on a single server is essential when working on different projects requiring different PHP environments. In this article, we’ll walk you through a detailed step-by-step guide on how to install multiple PHP versions on Ubuntu 22.04. We’ll use the widely trusted Ondrej PPA repository to make this process straightforward and efficient.

By following this tutorial, you’ll be able to install, configure, and switch between PHP versions seamlessly on your system. This guide also works for Ubuntu 20.04 and 18.04.

How to Install Multiple PHP Versions on Ubuntu 22.04

Step 1: Update the System

Before installing any software, it’s a best practice to update your system to ensure that you’re working with the latest package versions. Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Step 2: Add the Ondrej PHP Repository

The Ondrej PPA is a popular repository that contains various PHP versions and related packages. To enable it, execute these commands:

sudo apt install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt update

Step 3: Install Multiple PHP Versions

With the Ondrej repository enabled, you can now install different PHP versions. Below are the commands for installing PHP 8.1, PHP 8.0, and PHP 7.4 along with their common extensions.

Install PHP 8.1

To install PHP 8.1, run:

sudo apt-get install php8.1 php8.1-fpm
sudo apt-get install php8.1-mysql php8.1-mbstring php8.1-xml php8.1-gd php8.1-curl

Install PHP 8.0

To install PHP 8.0, execute:

sudo apt-get install php8.0 php8.0-fpm
sudo apt-get install php8.0-mysql php8.0-mbstring php8.0-xml php8.0-gd php8.0-curl

Install PHP 7.4

For PHP 7.4, use:

sudo apt-get install php7.4 php7.4-fpm
sudo apt-get install php7.4-mysql php7.4-mbstring php7.4-xml php7.4-gd php7.4-curl

You can repeat this process for any other PHP versions you need, such as PHP 7.3 or PHP 5.6, by replacing the version number in the above commands.

Step 4: Check the Active PHP Version

To check the currently active PHP version, use:

php -v

This will display the default PHP version set for the CLI (Command Line Interface).

Step 5: Switch Between PHP Versions

Ubuntu allows you to switch the default PHP version using the update-alternatives command. Run the following:

sudo update-alternatives --config php

You’ll see a menu listing all installed PHP versions. Enter the number corresponding to the version you want to set as the default and press ENTER.

Alternatively, to switch directly to a specific version, use:

sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php7.4

Step 6: Configure PHP-FPM

If you’re using a web server like Apache or Nginx, you’ll need to configure it to use the appropriate PHP-FPM version. For example, in Nginx, edit your virtual host configuration to point to the desired PHP-FPM socket:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;

    root /var/www/html;
    index index.php index.html;

    location ~ \.php$ {
        include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
    }
}

Restart Nginx to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 7: Uninstall PHP Versions

If you need to remove a specific PHP version, use the following command:

sudo apt-get remove php7.4

To remove all modules associated with that version, run:

sudo apt-get remove php7.4-*

Finally, clean up unused dependencies:

sudo apt-get autoremove

Conclusion

Installing and managing multiple PHP versions on Ubuntu 22.04 is straightforward when using the Ondrej PPA repository. Whether you’re a developer juggling projects with different PHP requirements or someone setting up a robust web development environment, this guide equips you to handle PHP versions efficiently.

Now that you know how to install multiple PHP versions on Ubuntu 22.04, go ahead and set up your system to meet your project’s needs!

Have any questions or face any challenges?

Drop them in the comments below!

FAQs: How to Install Multiple PHP Versions on Ubuntu 22.04

ls /usr/bin/php*

php -v

sudo update-alternatives --config php

sudo apt-get remove php7.4
sudo apt-get remove php7.4-*
sudo apt-get autoremove

sudo systemctl restart nginx

sudo systemctl restart apache2

php -i | grep "Loaded Configuration File"

<?php
phpinfo();
?>