How to Install PHP 8.4 on RHEL 9: Easy Steps

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used, open-source, server-side scripting language designed for web development. It is especially suited for creating dynamic web pages and applications.

This comprehensive tutorial will guide you through how to install PHP 8.4 on Ubuntu 24.04. Whether you're a beginner setting up your first server or an experienced developer upgrading your environment, this guide will cover every step.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with the installation of PHP 8.4 on Ubuntu 24.04, ensure the following:

• You have a running Ubuntu 24.04 system.
• You have shell access with a user account that has sudo privileges to install software.
• You have a stable internet connection to download the necessary packages.

How to Install PHP 8.4 on Ubuntu 24.04

Step 1: Update Your Operating System

Before installing any new packages, it's important to ensure that your Ubuntu 24.04 operating system is fully up to date. This helps to avoid compatibility issues and ensures a smoother installation process. Run the following commands to update and upgrade all existing packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This command updates the package lists and upgrades installed packages to their latest versions.

Step 2: Add the PHP Repository

The default Ubuntu 24.04 repository does not include PHP 8.4. To install it, you will need to add the Ondrej Sury PPA repository, which is widely trusted for hosting PHP packages.

Install Required Packages

Before adding the repository, install the necessary packages that enable secure communication and repository management:

sudo apt-get install -y ca-certificates apt-transport-https software-properties-common

Add the PPA Repository

With the required packages installed, add the Ondrej Sury PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php

Press Enter when prompted to confirm the addition of the repository.

Update the Repository List

After adding the PPA, refresh the package list to include the new repository:

sudo apt-get update

Step 3: Install PHP 8.4

With the repository added, you can now install PHP 8.4 on your system.

Install PHP 8.4

Run the following command to install PHP 8.4:

sudo apt-get install -y php8.4

Verify the Installation

Once the installation is complete, verify the PHP version installed:

php8.4 --version

Expected Output:

PHP 8.4.1 (cli) (built: Nov 21 2024 14:54:00) (NTS)
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.4.1, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
    with Zend OPcache v8.4.1, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies

This output confirms that PHP 8.4 has been successfully installed.

Step 4: Install PHP 8.4 for Apache

If you're using Apache as your web server, you'll need to install the PHP 8.4 module and configure Apache to use it.

Install the PHP Module for Apache

Run the following command to install the Apache PHP module:

sudo apt install -y libapache2-mod-php8.4

Restart Apache

After installation, restart Apache to enable the new PHP module:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Test the Installation

Create a test PHP file to verify that PHP is working with Apache:

echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php

Open a web browser and navigate to:

http://your-server-ip/info.php

You should see a PHP information page confirming the setup.

Step 5: Install PHP 8.4 FPM for Nginx

PHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager) is required to process PHP scripts for users of the Nginx web server. Follow these steps to install and configure PHP-FPM.

Install PHP-FPM

Run the following command to install PHP-FPM:

sudo apt install -y php8.4-fpm

Verify PHP-FPM Status

Check the status of the PHP-FPM service to ensure it is running:

sudo systemctl status php8.4-fpm

Expected Output:

● php8.4-fpm.service - The PHP 8.4 FastCGI Process Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/php8.4-fpm.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running)
       Docs: man:php-fpm8.4(8)
    Process: 11741 ExecStartPost=/usr/lib/php/php-fpm-socket-helper install /run/php/php-fpm.sock /etc/php/8.4/fpm/pool.d/www.conf 84 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
   Main PID: 11737 (php-fpm8.4)
     Status: "Processes active: 0, idle: 2, Requests: 0, slow: 0, Traffic: 0.00req/sec"
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 2218)
     Memory: 8.0M (peak: 9.0M)
        CPU: 116ms
     CGroup: /system.slice/php8.4-fpm.service
             ├─11737 "php-fpm: master process (/etc/php/8.4/fpm/php-fpm.conf)"
             ├─11739 "php-fpm: pool www"
             └─11740 "php-fpm: pool www"

Configure Nginx to Use PHP-FPM

Edit the default Nginx site configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

Locate the server block and add the following configuration:

location ~ \.php$ {
    include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
    fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock;
}

Test and Restart Nginx

Validate the Nginx configuration:

sudo nginx -t

If the syntax check is successful, restart Nginx to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Verify the Installation

Create a test PHP file similar to the Apache setup:

echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php

Open a browser and navigate to:

http://your-server-ip/info.php

You should see the PHP information page.

Step 6: Install PHP Extensions

Extensions enhance the functionality of PHP. Installing them is straightforward.

Install Specific Extensions

Use the following syntax to install extensions:

sudo apt install php8.4-[extension]

Example: Install Common Extensions

Install commonly used extensions with this command:

sudo apt install -y php8.4-mysql php8.4-imap php8.4-ldap php8.4-xml php8.4-curl php8.4-mbstring php8.4-zip

Verify Installed Extensions

List all installed PHP modules:

php8.4 -m

Expected Output (Partial):

[PHP Modules]
imap
json
ldap
libxml
mbstring
mysqli
mysqlnd
openssl
pdo_mysql
...

Step 7: Run PHP 8.4 Alongside Other Versions

If your system has multiple PHP versions, you can manage them using the update-alternatives command.

List Available PHP Versions

Run the following command to list installed PHP versions:

sudo update-alternatives --config php

Sample Output:

There are 2 choices for the alternative php (providing /usr/bin/php).

  Selection    Path             Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/php.default   100       auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/php.default   100       manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/php8.3        83        manual mode
  3            /usr/bin/php8.4        84        manual mode

Set PHP 8.4 as Default

To set PHP 8.4 as the default version:

sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php8.4

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have provided a detailed guide on how to install PHP 8.4 on Ubuntu 24.04. Starting from updating your system to adding the required repositories, installing PHP, configuring it for both Apache and Nginx, installing extensions, and managing multiple PHP versions, this guide is designed to make the process seamless for both beginners and advanced users.

By following these steps, you can set up PHP 8.4 to develop and host dynamic web applications efficiently. Whether you’re upgrading from an older PHP version or setting up PHP for the first time, this guide equips you with the necessary commands and configurations to get started.

For further learning and troubleshooting, we highly recommend consulting the official PHP documentation. Additionally, the Linux and Ubuntu communities are excellent resources for seeking help and sharing experiences.

If you have any questions or encounter issues during the installation, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to community forums for additional support. Happy coding!