How can I easily switch between PHP versions on Mac OSX?

Question

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?

Answer 1

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

Answer 2

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: php@7.3 is keg-only and must be linked with --force Then try with:

brew link php@7.3 --force

Answer 3

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!

Answer 4

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:

1) 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

2) 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

3) 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

Answer 5

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.

Answer 6

Using brew

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