PHP Fatal error: Call to undefined function json_decode()
PhpJsonApacheUbuntuPhp Problem Overview
Apache is logging PHP Fatal error: Call to undefined function json_decode(). After some googling, it seems this problem is a result of not having the latest version of php. Oddly, running php --version ouputs
PHP 5.5.1-2+debphp.org~precise+2 (cli) (built: Aug 6 2013 10:49:43)
Copyright (c) 1997-2013 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.5.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2013 Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v7.0.2-dev, Copyright (c) 1999-2013, by Zend Technologies
with Xdebug v2.2.3, Copyright (c) 2002-2013, by Derick Rethans
Clearly showing that my php version is greater than 5.1.
Any ideas as to what could cause this, or the steps to take to find out?
EDIT: The result of a script echoing phpversion is 5.5.1-2+debphp.org~precise
EDIT: The result of phpinfo() is also PHP Version 5.5.1-2+debphp.org~precise+2
Furthermore, in the phpinfo(), it lists the module JSON and the module authors (Omar Kilani, Scott MacVicar).
Php Solutions
Solution 1 - Php
Using Ubuntu?
Short answer:
sudo apt-get install php7.2-json
(or php7.1-json or php5-json depending on the PHP version you're running)
Then of course make sure you restart Apache:
sudo service apache2 restart
Or if you are using PHP-FPM:
sudo service php7.2-fpm restart
(Or php7.1-fpm or php5-fpm)
Explanation
Debian has removed the previous JSON extension as of PHP 5.5rc2 due to a license conflict.
The JSON license has a clause which states:
> The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil.
This causes a problem with Free Software Foundation's definition of free software which states:
> The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
FSF goes on to specifically list the JSON license as nonfree.
Yes it seems a bit silly. Nevertheless Debian has removed the non-compliant JSON extension, and instead offered a replacement extension that is functionally equivalent.
To be clear: PHP itself has NOT removed JSON, it's still in master. This is a distro / package manager issue.
> We have not removed json and we will never release a version of php without json support built in. Any changes in 5.5 is due to whatever distro packaging you are using which we have no control over.
More details
http://iteration99.com/2013/php-json-licensing-and-php-5-5/
http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/bye-bye-non-free-php-json-extension/
https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=63520
http://philsturgeon.co.uk/blog/2013/08/fud-cracker-php-55-never-lost-json-support
Solution 2 - Php
With Ubuntu :
sudo apt-get install php5-json
sudo service php5-fpm restart
Solution 3 - Php
Solution 4 - Php
As a RHEL 8 user, this was fixed with:
yum install php-json
And then reloading nginx and php-fpm. So basically the json libraries where missing from the default php install.
This should also work on CENTOS 8.
Solution 5 - Php
If you're using phpbrew try to install json extension to fix error with undefined function json_decode():
phpbrew ext install json
Solution 6 - Php
I have the same question: PHP Fatal error: Call to undefined function json_decode(), but I run php under cygwin on Windows. When I run php -m, I found that there is no json module installed. So I run cygwin setup.exe again, check json package from the configuration interface, and the problem is solved.
Solution 7 - Php
The same issue with 7.1
apt-get install php7.1-json sudo nano /etc/php/7.1/mods-available/json.ini
- Add json.so to the new file
- Add the appropriate sym link under conf.d
- Restart apache2 service (if needed)
Solution 8 - Php
The module was install but symbolic link was not in /etc/php5/cli/conf.d
Solution 9 - Php
you might also consider avoiding the core PHP module altogether.
It is quite common to use the guzzle json tools as a library in PHP apps these days. If your app is a composer app, it is trivial to include them as a part of a composer build. The guzzle tool, as a library, would be a turnkey replacement for the json tool, if you tell PHP to autoinclude the tool.
http://docs.guzzlephp.org/en/stable/search.html?q=json_encode#
http://apigen.juzna.cz/doc/guzzle/guzzle/function-GuzzleHttp.json_decode.html
Solution 10 - Php
> CENTOS Scene > ==========
I installed PHP in Centos Docker, this is my DockerFile:
FROM centos:7.6.1810
LABEL maintainer="[email protected]"
RUN yum install httpd-2.4.6-88.el7.centos -y
RUN rpm -Uvh https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-7.noarch.rpm
RUN rpm -Uvh https://mirror.webtatic.com/yum/el7/webtatic-release.rpm
RUN yum install php72w -y
ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/sbin/httpd", "-D", "FOREGROUND"]
The app returned the same error with json_decode and json_encode
> Resolution > ==========
Install PHP Common that has json_encode and json_decode
yum install -y php72w-common-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64
> How to find the resolution? > ===========================
I have another Docker File what build the container for the API and it has the order to install php-mysql client:
yum install php72w-mysql.x86_64 -y
If i use these image to mount the app, the json_encode and json_decode works!! Ok..... What dependencies does this have?
[root@c023b46b720c etc]# yum install php72w-mysql.x86_64
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, ovl
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: mirror.gtdinternet.com
* epel: mirror.globo.com
* extras: linorg.usp.br
* updates: mirror.gtdinternet.com
* webtatic: us-east.repo.webtatic.com
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php72w-mysql.x86_64 0:7.2.14-1.w7 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: php72w-pdo(x86-64) for package: php72w-mysql-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libmysqlclient.so.18(libmysqlclient_18)(64bit) for package: php72w-mysql-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libmysqlclient.so.18()(64bit) for package: php72w-mysql-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64
--> Running transaction check
---> Package mariadb-libs.x86_64 1:5.5.60-1.el7_5 will be installed
---> Package php72w-pdo.x86_64 0:7.2.14-1.w7 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: php72w-common(x86-64) = 7.2.14-1.w7 for package: php72w-pdo-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64
--> Running transaction check
---> Package php72w-common.x86_64 0:7.2.14-1.w7 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Dependencies Resolved
========================================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
========================================================================================================
Installing:
php72w-mysql x86_64 7.2.14-1.w7 webtatic 82 k
Installing for dependencies:
mariadb-libs x86_64 1:5.5.60-1.el7_5 base 758 k
php72w-common x86_64 7.2.14-1.w7 webtatic 1.3 M
php72w-pdo x86_64 7.2.14-1.w7 webtatic 89 k
Transaction Summary
========================================================================================================
Install 1 Package (+3 Dependent packages)
Total download size: 2.2 M
Installed size: 17 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]: y
Downloading packages:
(1/4): mariadb-libs-5.5.60-1.el7_5.x86_64.rpm | 758 kB 00:00:00
(2/4): php72w-mysql-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64.rpm | 82 kB 00:00:01
(3/4): php72w-pdo-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64.rpm | 89 kB 00:00:01
(4/4): php72w-common-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64.rpm | 1.3 MB 00:00:06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 336 kB/s | 2.2 MB 00:00:06
Running transaction check
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded
Running transaction
Installing : 1:mariadb-libs-5.5.60-1.el7_5.x86_64 1/4
Installing : php72w-common-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64 2/4
Installing : php72w-pdo-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64 3/4
Installing : php72w-mysql-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64 4/4
Verifying : php72w-common-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64 1/4
Verifying : 1:mariadb-libs-5.5.60-1.el7_5.x86_64 2/4
Verifying : php72w-pdo-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64 3/4
Verifying : php72w-mysql-7.2.14-1.w7.x86_64 4/4
Installed:
php72w-mysql.x86_64 0:7.2.14-1.w7
Dependency Installed:
mariadb-libs.x86_64 1:5.5.60-1.el7_5 php72w-common.x86_64 0:7.2.14-1.w7
php72w-pdo.x86_64 0:7.2.14-1.w7
Complete!
Yes! Inside the dependences is the common packages. I Installed it into my other container and it works! After, i put de directive into DockerFile, Git commit!! Git Tag!!!! Git Push!!!! Ready!
Solution 11 - Php
cPanel
Go to MultiPHP INI Editor and select the Editor Mode tab, enter the following to enable JSON extensions:
extension=json.so
Or, if you have an existing php.ini file in your root directory, check if this extension is listed and make sure it's not commented out (preceded by semi-colon).