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Use multiple php versions on macOS / Linux

January 10th, 2022 (Updated January 28th, 2023)

The end goal

  • Have multiple versions of php installed
  • Use php 8.0 when you run php
  • Use php 7.4 when you run php7
  • Use php 8.1 when you run php81
  • (bonus) Run composer with php 7.4 when you run composer7
  • (bonus) Run composer with php 8.1 when you run composer81

The Steps

MacOS

I prefer this over brew solutions with link and unlink.

  • Install both the default php package 8.1 and the older php7.4 / php8.0 packages

    # Install php (defaults to version 8).
brew install php

# Install older php 7.4.
brew install php@7.4

# Install older php 8.0.
brew install php@8.0

  • Make php 8.0 the default

    # Unlink php8.1
brew unlink php

# Unlink php7.4
brew unlink php@7.4

# Link php8.0 Double check php 7.4 is linked (this will set php8.0 as the default)
brew link php@8.0

  • Create extra symlinks for php 7.4 and 8.1

    # Create a symlinks in /usr/local/bin. You will likely have to run sudo.
ln -s /opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/bin/php /usr/local/bin/php81
ln -s /opt/homebrew/opt/php@7.4/bin/php /usr/local/bin/php7

  • (bonus) Setup composer shortcuts to run composer with specific php versions.

    # .bashrc or .zshrc or equivalent

alias composer7='php7 /usr/local/bin/composer'
alias composer81='php81 /usr/local/bin/composer'

  • Remove any manual php $PATH setups in your .bashrc or .zshrc (or equivalent). It may look like this.

    # .bashrc or .zshrc or equivalent

# Remove any lines like this!
export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/sbin:$PATH"
export PATH="/usr/local/opt/php@7.4/bin:$PATH"

Linux (using pamac)

  • Install both default php package and older php7.4 package. The ArchWiki will always have the latest instructions but this what I did at the time. 
    # Install php (defaults to version 8).
pamac install php

# Install older php 7.4.
pamac install php74
  • Setup symlinks. 
    # Setup php 7 as the version to be used when you run "php7".
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/php74 /usr/local/bin/php7

The Result

  • Output of php -v

    $ php -v
PHP 8.0.22 (cli) (built: Aug  4 2022 10:20:33) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.0.22, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v8.0.22, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies

  • Output of php7 -v

    $ php7 -v
PHP 7.4.30 (cli) (built: Jun  9 2022 09:20:03) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.4.0, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v7.4.30, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies

  • Output of php81 -v

    $ php81 -v
PHP 8.1.9 (cli) (built: Aug  4 2022 14:00:20) (NTS)
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.1.9, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v8.1.9, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies