Multiple PHP 8.3 and 7.4 - Ubuntu 24

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To run multiple PHP versions (8.3 and 7.4) on Ubuntu 24, you can install PHP 7.4 alongside PHP 8.3 and configure PHP-FPM to handle both versions. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Add PHP 7.4 Repository
First, you need to add the ondrej/php PPA, which allows you to install older PHP versions like 7.4.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt update

Step 2: Install PHP 7.4 and PHP 7.4-FPM
Now, install PHP 7.4 along with its FPM package and any required extensions.

sudo apt install php7.4 php7.4-fpm php7.4-cli php7.4-common php7.4-mysql php7.4-xml php7.4-mbstring php7.4-curl

Step 3: Ensure PHP 8.3 FPM is Installed
Make sure you also have PHP 8.3 FPM installed (if not already):

sudo apt install php8.3-fpm

Step 4: Configure Nginx to Use Different PHP-FPM Versions
Now, you need to modify your Nginx configuration to point to the correct PHP-FPM socket for each site or location.

For PHP 8.3 (default):
In your Nginx config file (e.g., /etc/nginx/sites-available/default), set the fastcgi_pass directive to PHP 8.3:

nginx
Copy code
location ~ .php$ {
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
include fastcgi_params;
}

For PHP 7.4 (for specific locations or sites):
For specific sites or locations where you want to use PHP 7.4, you can point to the PHP 7.4 FPM socket:

location ~ \.php$ {
    fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock;
    include fastcgi_params;
}

Step 5: Enable and Restart PHP-FPM Services
Enable both PHP-FPM services to ensure they start on boot:

sudo systemctl enable php8.3-fpm
sudo systemctl enable php7.4-fpm

Then restart both services:

sudo systemctl restart php8.3-fpm
sudo systemctl restart php7.4-fpm

Step 6: Set PHP 8.3 as the Default CLI Version (Optional)
If you want to keep PHP 8.3 as the default for the CLI, use the update-alternatives command:

sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php8.3

To switch to PHP 7.4 for the CLI:

sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php7.4

Step 7: Verify Installation
To check the installed versions of PHP-FPM, run:

php -v          # To check the default CLI version
sudo systemctl status php7.4-fpm
sudo systemctl status php8.3-fpm

Conclusion
Now you have both PHP 8.3 and PHP 7.4 running on your Ubuntu 24 system, with PHP 8.3 as the default and the ability to use PHP 7.4 for specific locations or virtual hosts.