Installing PHP

Install a supported PHP version using an operating-system package manager, a maintained PHP distribution, or a local development stack. Keep the PHP runtime and extensions updated, and use the same major version as your project. Verify the installation Run php --version in a terminal. If the command is not found, check that the PHP executable is on your PATH. Then create a file named hello.php and run php hello.php. For a local development server, open the project directory in a terminal and run php -S 127.0.0.1:8000. Visit that address in your browser. This built-in server is intended for development, not production hosting. Production deployments should use a properly configured web server and PHP process manager with access restricted to the application’s document root. Further guidance For every setup lesson, verify which PHP version and extensions are active in the same environment that runs the project. Keep a small reproducible script, use the command-line version output to diagnose configuration problems, and distinguish local development tools from production services. Practice task: Create a fresh example for Installing PHP. Predict the result before running it, then change one input and explain why the result changes. Test a normal case and one boundary or invalid case where it applies. Compare your output with the example and note one rule you would use in a real project.