Use multiple php versions on macOS / Linux

Why follow this guide? I use php everyday and this is the most simple and flexible solution I found.

The end goal#

• Have multiple versions of php installed
• Use php 8.2 when you run php
• Use php 8.1 when you run php81
• Use php 8.0 when you run php80
• Use php 7.4 when you run php7
• (bonus) Run composer with php 8.1 when you run composer81
• (bonus) Run composer with php 7.4 when you run composer7

The Steps#

MacOS#

I prefer this solution 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 8.2).
  brew install php
  
  # Install older php 8.0.
  brew install php@8.1
  
  # Install older php 8.0.
  brew install php@8.0
  
  # Add brew tap for old php versions.
  brew tap shivammathur/php
  
  # Install older php 7.4.
  brew install shivammathur/php/php@7.4
  

• Make php 8.2 the default

  # Lets start clean and unlink all php versions
  brew unlink php
  brew unlink php@7.4
  brew unlink php@8.0
  brew unlink php@8.1
  
  # Link php 8.2
  brew link php
  

• Create extra symlinks for php 7.4, 8.0, 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@8.0/bin/php /usr/local/bin/php80
  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 8.2.2 (cli) (built: Feb  5 2023 12:38:16) (NTS)
  Copyright (c) The PHP Group
  Zend Engine v4.2.2, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
  with Zend OPcache v8.2.2, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies
  

• Output of php7 -v

  $ php7 -v
  PHP 7.4.33 (cli) (built: Jan 21 2023 06:43:54) ( NTS )
  Copyright (c) The PHP Group
  Zend Engine v3.4.0, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
  with Zend OPcache v7.4.33, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologie
  

• Output of php80 -v

  $ php81 -v
  PHP 8.0.27 (cli) (built: Jan 12 2023 04:00:24) ( NTS )
  Copyright (c) The PHP Group
  Zend Engine v4.0.27, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
  with Zend OPcache v8.0.27, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies
  

• Output of php81 -v

  $ php81 -v
  PHP 8.1.15 (cli) (built: Feb  3 2023 12:35:11) (NTS)
  Copyright (c) The PHP Group
  Zend Engine v4.1.15, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
  with Zend OPcache v8.1.15, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies