How can I easily switch between PHP versions on Mac OSX?
PhpMacosPhp Problem Overview
I would like to test my application on PHP 5.3 up to PHP 7.0.
Where and how can I install the versions and how can I switch them by running a small script?
Php Solutions
Solution 1 - Php
If you have both versions of PHP installed, you can switch between versions using the link
and unlink
brew
commands.
For example, to switch between PHP 7.4 and PHP 7.3
brew unlink php@7.4
brew link php@7.3
PS: both versions of PHP have be installed for these commands to work.
Solution 2 - Php
I found this very good tutorial on how to install and switch php versions on OSX.
I can switch the version like
$ sphp 7.0 => PHP 7.0
$ sphp 7.3 => PHP 7.3
$ sphp 7.4 => PHP 7.4
Exactly what I want!
Solution 3 - Php
Example: Let us switch from php 7.4 to 7.3
brew unlink php@7.4
brew install php@7.3
brew link php@7.3
If you get Warning: [email protected] is keg-only and must be linked with --force
Then try with:
brew link php@7.3 --force
Solution 4 - Php
brew
Using Show current version
$ php -v
Change to different version
(eg. changing from 5.5.x to version 7.0.latest) :
$ brew unlink php55
$ brew install php70
Solution 5 - Php
If you install PHP with homebrew, you can switch between versions very easily. Say you want php56
to point to Version 5.6.17, you just do:
brew switch php56 5.6.17
Solution 6 - Php
i think unlink & link php versions are not enough because we are often using php with apache(httpd), so need to update httpd.conf after switch php version.
i have write shell script for disable/enable php_module
automatically inside httpd.conf
, look at line 46 to line 54 https://github.com/dangquangthai/switch-php-version-on-mac-sierra/blob/master/switch-php#L46
Follow my steps:
-
Check installed php versions by brew, for sure everything good
> brew list | grep php #output php56 php56-intl php56-mcrypt php71 php71-intl php71-mcrypt
-
Run script
> switch-php 71 # or switch-php 56 #output PHP version [71] found Switching from [php56] to [php71] ... Unlink php56 ... [OK] and Link php71 ... [OK] Updating Apache2.4 Configuration /usr/local/etc/httpd/httpd.conf ... [OK] Restarting Apache2.4 ... [OK] PHP 7.1.11 (cli) (built: Nov 3 2017 08:48:02) ( NTS ) Copyright (c) 1997-2017 The PHP Group Zend Engine v3.1.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2017 Zend Technologies
-
Finally, when your got above message, check
httpd.conf
, in my laptop:vi /usr/local/etc/httpd/httpd.conf
You can see near by LoadModule lines
LoadModule php7_module /usr/local/Cellar/php71/7.1.11_22/libexec/apache2/libphp7.so
#LoadModule php5_module /usr/local/Cellar/php56/5.6.32_8/libexec/apache2/libphp5.so
4) open httpd://localhost/info.php
i hope it helpful
Solution 7 - Php
I liked the switcher idea because I'm working of different version at the moment so what you need is
brew install brew-php-switcher
then brew-php-switcher version
for example brew-php-switcher 7.4
Solution 8 - Php
How to:
- Find installed PHP versions
- Switch from default PHP package to a versioned package
% brew search php
brew-php-switcher php-cs-fixer php@7.3 phplint phpstan pup
php ✔ php-cs-fixer@2 php@7.4 ✔ phpmd phpunit
php-code-sniffer php@7.2 phpbrew phpmyadmin pcp
% brew unlink php
% brew link php@7.4
Solution 9 - Php
brew link --overwrite php@7.3
Works perfectly for me :-)
Solution 10 - Php
if you are using homebrew, then it allows multiple versions of a formula to be installed. hence,
brew unlink
is used to detach a version of formula from usage.brew link
is used to attach a version of formula to usage.
for example, if you have php 7.4 and 8.0 both installed and want to switch between them assuming you are currently using 7.4, then it can be done as :
brew unlink [email protected]
brew link [email protected]
Solution 11 - Php
I prefer to use phpbrew where you can easily install ($ phpbrew install 8.1.3 +default
) and switch (phpbrew switch 8.1.3
) the used php version.
Solution 12 - Php
If you have installed php with latest version on your local system and using using homebrew then to switch to older version, run following commands, Here, we are switching to 7.4
brew unlink php
brew install php@7.4
brew link php@7.4
Solution 13 - Php
Old question but it's still a difficulty to have a quick way to switch between php versions in 2022. I use Laravel valet and switching PHP versions requires a re install of valet to work. I basically have two custom functions defined in my .zhsrc file, but I think this will work for bash too:
switchphp7() {
valet stop
brew unlink php@8.1
brew services stop php@8.1
brew link --force --overwrite [email protected]
brew services start php@7.4
composer global update
rm -f ~/.config/valet/valet.sock
valet install
valet start
}
switchphp8() {
valet stop
brew unlink php@7.4
brew services stop php@7.4
brew link --force --overwrite [email protected]
brew services start php@8.1
composer global update
rm -f ~/.config/valet/valet.sock
valet install
valet start
}
And then just run them in the command line:
switchphp8
This works reliably for me, however, if you use Valets virtual SSL certificates, the command line will ask for admin account password for every ssl certificate you have linked which is potentially annoying if you have loads of them. It's not a bug if it keeps asking, eventually you will allow all if you keep typing password/use touch id.
Solution 14 - Php
delete all row with "php" in: nano ~/.zshrc
after that it will work: brew unlink [email protected] && brew link [email protected]