Understanding the Importance of PHP 7.4 in Ubuntu
PHP 7.4 is a significant update of the PHP language, a popular server-side scripting language that is especially suited for web development. It comes with numerous improvements and new features, such as preloading, arrow functions, typed properties, and several deprecations that pave the way for PHP 8.0. For developers and businesses running their applications on an Ubuntu server, upgrading to PHP 7.4 can bring performance enhancements, security improvements, and modern coding features that streamline development workflows.
Preparing Ubuntu for PHP 7.4 Installation
Before diving into the installation process, it’s crucial to prepare the Ubuntu system to ensure a smooth upgrade. This involves updating the package lists, upgrading existing packages, and removing any previous versions of PHP that might cause conflicts.
Updating and Upgrading Ubuntu Packages
Start by opening a terminal and running the following commands to update the package lists and upgrade the installed packages to their latest versions:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
Removing Old PHP Versions
If you have an older version of PHP installed, it’s a good practice to remove it to prevent any conflicts. Use the following command to uninstall the existing PHP version:
sudo apt remove php*
Adding PHP 7.4 Repository to Ubuntu
Ubuntu’s default repositories might not always have the latest PHP version. To install PHP 7.4, you may need to add a third-party repository that contains the updated PHP packages.
Installing Software Properties Common
First, install the software-properties-common package, which provides an abstraction of the used apt repositories. It allows you to easily manage your distribution and independent software vendor software sources:
sudo apt install software-properties-common
Adding the PHP Repository
Next, add the ondrej/php repository, which is a popular and well-maintained PPA (Personal Package Archive) for PHP:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt update
Installing PHP 7.4 on Ubuntu
With the repository in place, you can proceed to install PHP 7.4 along with some common extensions that are typically required for web development.
Installing PHP 7.4 Core
To install the core PHP 7.4 package, execute the following command:
sudo apt install php7.4
Installing PHP 7.4 Extensions
Many web applications require additional PHP extensions. You can install multiple extensions at once by listing them after the install command. For example:
sudo apt install php7.4-xml php7.4-gd php7.4-mysql php7.4-curl
This command installs extensions for XML parsing, image processing, MySQL database interaction, and URL manipulation using cURL.
Configuring PHP 7.4 on Ubuntu
After installation, it’s important to configure PHP for your environment. This might involve setting up the php.ini file, enabling or disabling certain PHP modules, and configuring the web server to use the new PHP version.
Locating and Editing php.ini
The php.ini file is the main configuration file for PHP. You can locate it by running:
php --ini
Once located, open the file with a text editor like nano or vim to make changes such as upload limits, memory limits, and error reporting settings.
Enabling and Disabling PHP Modules
You can enable or disable PHP modules using the phpenmod and phpdismod commands. For example, to enable the mcrypt module, you would use:
sudo phpenmod mcrypt
To disable it, you would use:
sudo phpdismod mcrypt
Configuring Apache or Nginx to Use PHP 7.4
If you’re using Apache as your web server, you may need to install the libapache2-mod-php7.4 module and then restart Apache:
sudo apt install libapache2-mod-php7.4
sudo systemctl restart apache2
For Nginx, since it does not embed PHP processing, you’ll need to configure it to pass PHP requests to php-fpm (FastCGI Process Manager). Install php7.4-fpm and edit your Nginx server block configuration to include the necessary location ~ .php$ block.
sudo apt install php7.4-fpm
Then, restart Nginx to apply the changes:
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Verifying PHP 7.4 Installation
After installation and configuration, it’s important to verify that PHP 7.4 is correctly installed and configured on your Ubuntu system.
Checking PHP Version
You can check the installed PHP version by running:
php -v
This command should output information about the PHP 7.4 version installed on your system.
Creating a PHP Info File
To test your web server’s PHP processing, create a file named info.php in your web server’s root directory with the following content:
<?php
phpinfo();
?>
When you navigate to this file in your web browser (e.g., http://your_server_domain_or_IP/info.php), you should see the PHP information page displaying all the details about your PHP configuration.
Troubleshooting Common PHP 7.4 Installation Issues
Sometimes, you may encounter issues during the installation or configuration process. Here are some common problems and their solutions.
Dependency Issues
If you encounter dependency issues when installing PHP 7.4, try running apt -f install to fix broken dependencies, then attempt the installation again.
Module Conflicts
Module conflicts can occur if you have leftover configuration from previous PHP versions. Ensure you’ve completely removed old PHP versions and their configurations before installing PHP 7.4.
Web Server Errors
If your web server fails to process PHP after the upgrade, double-check that you’ve installed the correct PHP module for your web server (e.g., libapache2-mod-php7.4 for Apache) and that you’ve restarted the web server service.
Optimizing PHP 7.4 Performance on Ubuntu
Once PHP 7.4 is installed, there are several optimizations you can make to improve its performance on your Ubuntu server.
Configuring OpCache
OpCache can significantly speed up PHP performance by storing precompiled script bytecode in shared memory. To enable and configure OpCache, edit the php.ini file and adjust the OpCache settings according to your needs.
Using PHP-FPM Pools
If you’re using Nginx with PHP-FPM, you can optimize performance by configuring PHP-FPM pools. This allows you to manage worker processes effectively, which can handle multiple requests simultaneously.
Implementing Security Best Practices
Security is also a part of performance optimization. Ensure you have disabled functions that aren’t needed, set proper file permissions, and kept your PHP version up to date with the latest security patches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install PHP 7.4 alongside other PHP versions?
Yes, you can use tools like update-alternatives to set the default PHP version and switch between different versions as needed.
How do I switch between different PHP versions in the command line?
You can use update-alternatives to set the default PHP version for the command line. For example:
sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php7.4
What should I do if I encounter a “Package not found” error when installing PHP 7.4?
Ensure you have added the ondrej/php repository and updated your package lists with sudo apt update. If the problem persists, check if the repository is available for your version of Ubuntu.
Is it necessary to remove older PHP versions before installing PHP 7.4?
While it’s not strictly necessary, it’s recommended to avoid potential conflicts, especially if you don’t plan on using the older versions.
How can I confirm that my web server is using PHP 7.4?
Create a phpinfo() file as described earlier and check the PHP version displayed on the PHP information page through your web browser.
