How to upgrade the built-in PHP of your Mac (OsX)
Tags: experience, php
Published: 2024-03-16 10:08:14

---
title: How to upgrade the built-in PHP of your Mac (OsX)
published: true
date: 2015-07-31 23:03:25 UTC
tags: Experience,PHP
canonical_url: https://io.serendipityhq.com/experience/how-to-upgrade-php-built-in-your-mac-osx/
---

Each Mac has a built-in Apache server that runs a built-in PHP.

To upgrade it you need less than 10 minutes once you have understood all the steps needed.

The same applies also to install the last PHP 7.1 version: you only need to change the required version of PHP (see below).

## Exploring the LAMP server of a Mac

To understand the built-in PHP of your Mac the first thing you should do is open your terminal and type in:

```
$ php -v
PHP 5.5.24 (cli) (built: May 19 2015 10:10:05) 
Copyright (c) 1997-2015 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.5.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2015 Zend Technologies
    with Xdebug v2.2.3, Copyright (c) 2002-2013, by Derick Rethans
```

This is the PHP version installed in your Mac.

But, from where is it executed?

```
$ which php
/usr/bin/php
```

And the php.ini?

```
$ php -i | grep "php.ini"
Configuration File (php.ini) Path => /etc
Loaded Configuration File => /etc/php.ini
```

So, by default Mac OsX has `PHP 5.5.24` with `xDebug 2.2.3` and our `php.ini` is located at `/usr/bin/php`.

## How to update PHP on Mac OsX

As we want to update the built-in version of PHP of our Mac OsX, at this point maybe its better to think at a more valuable solution.

Update PHP… go to [php.net/downloads.php](http://php.net/downloads.php), download the latest version of PHP, unzip, compile, configure… Mmm, there is a better solution for sure!

And in fact, those good boys at [Liip](https://www.liip.ch/en) have thought that there should be a better solution… And they built it!

So, in your Terminal, type **(use 7.1 if you want to install the last PHP 7.1 version!)**:

```
$ curl -s http://php-osx.liip.ch/install.sh | bash -s 5.6
```

You have just downloaded the best PHP latest version you can find ever.

Now, let’s configure it: it needs less then 5 minutes!

WARNING: If you receive an error like, then you need to stop the built-in Apache instance and reinstall it from Homebrew: it seems the Apache version shipped with MacOS causes some troubles that prevent the server to starting.  
Here all the information you need to disable the built-in version of Apache in MacOS and [install a fresh new one with Homebrew](https://github.com/liip/php-osx/issues/249#issuecomment-424586068).

## How to configure your updated version of Mac OsX built-in PHP

The package you have just downloaded is a custom version of PHP built by Liip and it provides a lot more functionalities and useful PHP extension than the original Mac OsX built-in PHP, so you will save a lot of time when you’ll install and update them (think at Intl extension or xDebug, for example).

Once downloaded, the Liip’s PHP moves all the files into `/usr/local/php5-5.6.11-20150710-223902/bin` and makes a symlink of this folder called php5. In this way, when you’ll update PHP, Apache will automatically load the new PHP version (see more about this in a moment). Really smart!

If you type in Terminal again `which php` you’ll get the same result as before. This is because we have to tell our Mac OsX to load PHP from the new location.

To do this we will create a `.bash_profile` in our user directory:

```
$ sudo vi ~/.bash_profile
```

This will open VIM that will create the new file (if it is already present, type the letter `a` to enter the edit mode).

Into the `.bash_file` write the line `export PATH=/usr/local/php5/bin:$PATH`, then press `Esc` and type `SHIFT + Z` **for two times** (a shortcut to save and close the file).

Then load again the `.bash_profile` file and restart Apache:

```
$ source ~/.bash_profile
$ sudo apachectl restart
$ which php
/usr/local/php5/bin/php
```

You have updated your Mac OsX built-in PHP.

On the [Liip’s PHP Mac OsX home page](http://php-osx.liip.ch) you will find a lot of useful information about your new PHP.

The next step you should do is open the `php.ini` located at `/usr/local/php5/lib/` and [set it the right way](http://aerendir.me/2015/07/31/a-useful-php-ini-configuration-for-local-development/).

And, once you have configure your `php.ini`, maybe you want to [configure your Mac Osx built-in Apache](http://aerendir.me/2015/08/01/apache-webserver-configuration-checklist/) or want to install MySQL in your Mac (as it is not shipped by default).

Remember to “Make. Ideas. Happen.”.

I wish you flocking users, see you soon!

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