How to Install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux 9

Introduction

Before we begin talking about how to install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux 9, let's briefly understand – What is PHP?

PHP is a popular server-side scripting language used to create dynamic web pages. It stands for "Hypertext Preprocessor" and is open-source, making it widely accessible for web development. PHP seamlessly integrates with HTML, allowing developers to embed PHP code within HTML files to generate dynamic content.

It is versatile, supporting databases like MySQL for data management. Employed by major websites like Facebook and WordPress, PHP is crucial for building interactive websites and web applications. Start learning PHP to enhance your web development skills and create engaging online experiences.

In this tutorial, you will install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux 9. We will also address a few FAQs on how to install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux 9.

Advantages of PHP 8.3

1. Just-In-Time Compilation (JIT): PHP 8.3 introduced JIT compilation, enhancing performance by compiling code during runtime. This boosts execution speed, making applications run faster.
2. Enums Support: The addition of Enumerations in PHP 8.3 allows developers to define a set of named constants, making code clearer and more structured.
3. Improved Error Handling: PHP 8.3 enhances error reporting, making it easier to identify and debug errors within the codebase, improving overall code reliability.
4. Token Getters for Diagnostics: PHP 8.3 provides token getters to assist in diagnosing parsing issues, aiding developers in identifying and resolving syntax-related problems quickly.
5. Enhanced Type System: With PHP 8.3's improved type system, developers can benefit from stricter type checking, reducing bugs and enhancing code robustness.

Import Remi PHP RPM for PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux

Step 1: Update AlmaLinux Before PHP Installation

AlmaLinux must be updated prior to installing PHP 8.3. This improves stability and security by guaranteeing that the packages on your system are up-to-date.

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

This command brings all installed packages up to date with the most recent versions and updates your package database.

Step 2: Add the Remi PHP RPM Repository to AlmaLinux

For the most recent versions of PHP, the Remi repository is an essential resource. Installing the Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux (EPEL) repository is required before continuing.

Importing Remi PHP Repository for AlmaLinux 9

Enable the CodeReady Linux Builder (CRB) repository for AlmaLinux 9 in order to gain access to extra development tools and libraries:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled crb

Install the EL9 EPEL repository next:

sudo dnf install \
    https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-9.noarch.rpm \
    https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-next-release-latest-9.noarch.rpm

Lastly, include the EL9 Remi PHP repository:

sudo dnf install dnf-utils http://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-9.rpm -y

Importing Remi PHP Repository for AlmaLinux 8

Start with turning on the PowerTools repository for AlmaLinux 8 in order to get the required development and debugging tools:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools

Install the EL8 EPEL repository next:

sudo dnf install \
    https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm \
    https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-next-release-latest-8.noarch.rpm

Lastly, incorporate the EL8 Remi PHP repository:

sudo dnf install dnf-utils http://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-8.rpm -y

With these steps, you can be sure that AlmaLinux is running the most recent PHP versions compatible with your particular AlmaLinux version, which are available through the Remi repository.

Install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux

Step 1: Enable PHP 8.3 as Default Module

On your AlmaLinux system, start by configuring PHP 8.3 as the default PHP version. In order to enable PHP 8.3 from Remi's repository, use the following command:

sudo dnf module enable php:remi-8.3 -y

By designating PHP 8.3 as the default PHP version, this action guarantees that PHP installations and updates in the future will utilize this version.

Step 2: Install PHP 8.3 via DNF Command

Install PHP 8.3 after turning on the PHP 8.3 Module. Run the following command to finish the installation:

sudo dnf install php

Remi's RPM GPG keys will need to be imported; make sure to type "Y".

PHP 8.3 is installed on your system and ready for use with this command.

Step 3: Install PHP 8.3 Developer Tools (Optional)

Installing the following packages is something developers who need extra tools and packages for PHP development should think about doing:

sudo dnf install php-devel php-xdebug php-pcov

For PHP 8.3, these packages offer necessary debugging features, code coverage functionality, and development tools.

Step 4: Verify PHP 8.3 Installation

Verify the installed version of PHP 8.3 to make sure it is installed correctly:

php --version

By using this command, you can verify that PHP 8.3 was successfully installed on your AlmaLinux system by seeing the installed PHP version.

Install PHP 8.3 Extensions on AlmaLinux

Step 1: Check Default PHP 8.3 Modules

It's crucial to know which modules are already installed with PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux before adding new extensions. The command to list these modules is as follows:

php -m

This can be difficult to see because it prints a lengthy list in your terminal by default. Alternatively, you can use the following command, which will output a single line:

php -m | tr '\n' ' '

All module names will print on a single line as a result of this command's replacement of each newline character (\n) with a space. It's much simpler to read this.

Another option is to print a small, multi-column output:

php -m | paste -s -d '\t\t\n'

This command formats the output into a more condensed, multi-column layout using paste. The delimiters, in this case two tabs followed by a newline, are specified by the -d option.

All in all, this command lists every module that is installed with your PHP 8.3 installation and gives you an idea of what extra extensions you might require.

Step 2: Install New PHP 8.3 Extensions

Look for the desired module first if you need any additional PHP 8.3 extension modules that aren't included in the default installation. As an illustration:

sudo dnf search php8.3-{extension name}

Change {extension name} to the exact extension you require, php8.3-redis, for example.

You can install the frequently used extensions on this list. Please feel free to alter this list to meet your needs:

sudo dnf install php-cli php-fpm php-curl php-mysqlnd php-gd php-opcache php-zip php-intl php-common php-bcmath php-imagick php-xmlrpc php-json php-readline php-memcached php-redis php-mbstring php-apcu php-xml php-dom php-redis php-memcached php-memcache

Always install the extensions you actually need and remove the ones that are no longer needed.

Configure PHP 8.3-FPM on AlmaLinux

Editing PHP-FPM Configuration for Nginx

PHP-FPM's default user in AlmaLinux is "Apache", which is incompatible with Nginx. To make this setting compatible with Nginx, modify it.

Accessing PHP-FPM Configuration

To modify the parameters for PHP-FPM's communication with Nginx, open the PHP-FPM configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/php-fpm.d/www.conf

Using the Nano text editor, this command opens the PHP-FPM configuration.

Modifying User and Group Settings

Search for the user and group settings in the www.conf file. These are initially configured to "Apache". Change the user and group to "Nginx" in order to integrate PHP-FPM with Nginx:

; Unix user/group of processes
; Note: The user is mandatory. If the group is not set, the default user's group
;       will be used.
; RPM: apache Choosed to be able to access some dir as httpd
user = nginx
; RPM: Keep a group allowed to write in log dir.
group = nginx

This modification makes sure PHP-FPM is in line with Nginx, which improves compatibility.

Saving and Exiting the Configuration File

To save your edits, hit CTRL+O. To exit Nano, hit CTRL+X. After storing your changes, the editor is closed.

Restarting PHP-FPM Service

To make the changes effective, restart PHP-FPM:

sudo systemctl restart php-fpm

The new user and group settings are applied upon restarting PHP-FPM, which optimizes PHP-FPM for use with Nginx on AlmaLinux.

FAQs to Install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux 9

Conclusion

We hope this tutorial helped you understand how to install PHP 8.3 on AlmaLinux 9.

If you have any queries, please leave a comment below, and we’ll be happy to respond to them for sure.