Installing PHP

You need PHP on your own computer to run the examples. There are several ways to get it. Pick the one that matches your setup.

Option 1: an all-in-one bundle (easiest for beginners)

These packages install PHP, a web server (Apache) and MySQL together.

• XAMPP works on Windows, macOS and Linux.
• Laragon is a popular, light choice on Windows.
• MAMP is common on macOS.
• AMPPS works on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Install one, start Apache from its control panel, and put your PHP files in its htdocs or www folder.

Option 2: install PHP only

If you just want to run scripts from the terminal, you do not need a full web server.

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# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install php

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt install php-cli

On Windows, you can download PHP from windows.php.net and add its folder to your PATH. The official download page is php.net/downloads.

Option 3: Docker

If you already know Docker, the official php image gives you any version without installing anything on your computer.

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docker run --rm -v "$PWD":/app -w /app php:8.4-cli php index.php

Check that it works

Open a terminal and run:

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php -v

You should see a line that starts with PHP 8. If the terminal says “command not found”, PHP is not on your PATH yet.

Which PHP version?

Choose a version that is still supported. PHP Versions and Modern PHP has the link to the official list.