How to Check PHP Version Quickly and Easily

You can check the PHP version by running php -v in the command line or by creating a PHP file with phpinfo() function. Both methods show the current PHP version installed on your system.

Syntax

There are two main ways to check the PHP version:

• Command line: Use php -v to display the version.
• PHP script: Use phpinfo() function inside a PHP file to show detailed PHP info including the version.

bash and php

php -v

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Output

PHP 8.2.4 (cli) (built: Apr 21 2024 12:00:00) ( NTS )
Copyright (c) The PHP Group

... (phpinfo output shows PHP version and configuration) ...

Example

This example shows how to create a PHP file that outputs the PHP version using phpinfo(). Save this code as version.php and open it in a browser.

php

<?php
// Display full PHP information including version
phpinfo();
?>

Output

A web page showing detailed PHP configuration including the PHP version at the top.

Common Pitfalls

Some common mistakes when checking PHP version include:

• Running php -v in a terminal where PHP is not installed or not in the system PATH.
• Using phpinfo() on a server without saving the file with a .php extension or not accessing it via a web server.
• Confusing the PHP version in CLI and the version used by the web server if they differ.

php

// Wrong: calling phpinfo without PHP tags
phpinfo();

// Right:
<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Quick Reference

Method	Command/Code	Description
Command Line	php -v	Shows PHP version in terminal
PHP Script		Displays PHP version and config in browser
PHP Script (version only)		Prints only the PHP version string

Key Takeaways

Use php -v in the terminal to quickly check PHP version.

Create a PHP file with phpinfo() to see detailed PHP info in a browser.

Ensure PHP is installed and accessible in your system PATH for command line checks.

Remember CLI PHP version may differ from the web server PHP version.

Use echo PHP_VERSION; to print just the version string in PHP code.