This tutorial provides all the steps required to compile and install PHP 8 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS from the Source Code. The steps should be similar on the other versions of Ubuntu and Linux based systems. In case you are planning to use PHP with the Apache HTTP Server and MySQL database server, you can install Apache 2 and MySQL 8 before starting the installation of PHP 8. It can be done by following the guides - How To Install Apache 2 On Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and How To Install MySQL 8 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Also, PHP can be used with NGINX Web Server instead of the Apache HTTP Server. NGINX is widely used as a load balancer and reverse proxy for the Apache Web Server and other servers. You can follow How To Install And Configure Nginx on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and Configure Virtual Host Or Server Block On Nginx.
Notes: The default version of PHP available for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is PHP 7.4. You can also follow How To Install PHP 7 On Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. We can also install PHP 8 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS using PPA as explained in How To Install PHP 8 On Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.
It might be possible that some of the PHP functions used by your projects might not work, since we are making a custom build. You may feel free to build your own version of PHP by selecting the appropriate dependencies and providing the required configurations. I have selected the commonly used dependencies and configurations for the most common uses.
Step 1: Install Dependencies
In this step, we will install the dependencies required to build PHP from the source code. The below-mentioned commands can be executed to install the dependencies.
# Refresh Packages sudo apt update
# Build Essentials sudo apt-get install build-essential
# Install Dependencies sudo apt install \ autoconf \ re2c \ bison \ libsqlite3-dev \ libpq-dev \ libonig-dev \ libfcgi-dev \ libfcgi0ldbl \ libjpeg-dev \ libpng-dev \ libssl-dev \ libxml2-dev \ libcurl4-openssl-dev \ libxpm-dev \ libgd-dev \ libmysqlclient-dev \ libfreetype6-dev \ libxslt1-dev \ libpspell-dev \ libzip-dev \ libgccjit-10-dev
You may remove libgccjit-10-dev in case you do not need JIT support. Also, it might trigger error like - Unable to locate package libgccjit-10-dev. In such cases, get the most recent version of libgccjit from the Debian Packages.
Step 2: Download PHP 8 Source Code
We can get the most recent version of PHP 8 source code by cloning it from the GIT repository as shown below.
# Change Directory cd <sources directory>
# Example: cd /data/setups
# Clone PHP Source Code sudo git clone https://github.com/php/php-src.git
# Change Directory cd php-src
The above command will clone the master directory of PHP 8 from GitHub.
Step 3: Configure The Build
In this step, we will apply some standard configurations before compiling the source code. There is no configuration file available in the source code cloned by us in the previous step, hence generate the one using the command as shown below.
# Generate Configuration sudo ./buildconf
# Output buildconf: Checking installation buildconf: autoconf version 2.69 (ok) buildconf: Cleaning cache and configure files buildconf: Rebuilding configure buildconf: Rebuilding main/php_config.h.in buildconf: Run ./configure to proceed with customizing the PHP build.
Now configure the compilation using the below-mentioned command. You may change your configurations according to your requirements.
sudo ./configure \ --prefix=/opt/php/php8 \ --enable-cli \ --enable-fpm \ --enable-intl \ --enable-mbstring \ --enable-opcache \ --enable-sockets \ --enable-soap \ --with-curl \ --with-freetype \ --with-fpm-user=www-data \ --with-fpm-group=www-data \ --with-jpeg \ --with-mysqli \
--with-openssl \
--with-pdo-mysql \
--with-pgsql \
--with-xsl \
--with-zlib
You can also use the below-mentioned command to view all the available options to further change the configuration.
# View all options ./configure --help
Step 4: Build
In this step, we will build the PHP from the source code using the configurations generated in the previous step. Now start building the PHP 8 using the commands shown below.
# Make sudo make
You may also fasten the process by giving the number of cores as shown below.
# Number of processor cores nroc
# Make sudo make -j4
You should see an output similar to the one shown below.
----- ----- Generating phar.php Generating phar.phar PEAR package PHP_Archive not installed: generated phar will require PHP's phar extension be enabled. directorygraphiterator.inc clicommand.inc phar.inc pharcommand.inc invertedregexiterator.inc directorytreeiterator.inc Build complete. Don't forget to run 'make test'.
We can also test the PHP compiled by us using the test command as shown below.
# Test Installation sudo make test
Step 5: Install PHP 8
Now complete the installation by executing the below-mentioned command.
# Install sudo make install
# Output Installing shared extensions: /opt/php/php8/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20201009/ Installing PHP CLI binary: /opt/php/php8/bin/ Installing PHP CLI man page: /opt/php/php8/php/man/man1/ Installing PHP FPM binary: /opt/php/php8/sbin/ Installing PHP FPM defconfig: /opt/php/php8/etc/ Installing PHP FPM man page: /opt/php/php8/php/man/man8/ Installing PHP FPM status page: /opt/php/php8/php/php/fpm/ Installing phpdbg binary: /opt/php/php8/bin/ Installing phpdbg man page: /opt/php/php8/php/man/man1/ Installing PHP CGI binary: /opt/php/php8/bin/ Installing PHP CGI man page: /opt/php/php8/php/man/man1/ Installing build environment: /opt/php/php8/lib/php/build/ Installing header files: /opt/php/php8/include/php/ Installing helper programs: /opt/php/php8/bin/ program: phpize program: php-config Installing man pages: /opt/php/php8/php/man/man1/ page: phpize.1 page: php-config.1 /data/setups/php-src/build/shtool install -c ext/phar/phar.phar /opt/php/php8/bin/phar.phar ln -s -f phar.phar /opt/php/php8/bin/phar Installing PDO headers: /opt/php/php8/include/php/ext/pdo/
It will install PHP to the destination directory configured by us while generating the configuration file. We have installed PHP 8 at /opt/php/php8. Now verify the installation by using the below-mentioned command.
# Check PHP Version /opt/php/php8/bin/php -v
# Output PHP 8.1.0-dev (cli) (built: Mar 30 2021 09:50:54) ( NTS ) Copyright (c) The PHP Group Zend Engine v4.1.0-dev, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
While writing this tutorial, the steps mentioned in this tutorial installed PHP 8.1 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. The same steps can be used on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.
Configure JIT Support for PHP 8
To test the support for JIT, we must enable the opcache extension as shown below.
# Check PHP ini Path /opt/php/php8/bin/php --ini
# Output Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /opt/php/php8/lib Loaded Configuration File: (none) Scan for additional .ini files in: (none) Additional .ini files parsed: (none)
It clearly shows that there is no php.ini file available at the desired location i.e. /opt/php/php8/lib. We can copy the php.ini-development or php.ini-production from the php-src directory and rename it to php.ini as shown below.
# Copy and create php.ini sudo cp /data/setups/php-src/php.ini-production /opt/php/php8/lib/php.ini
# Check PHP ini Path /opt/php/php8/bin/php --ini
# Output Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /opt/php/php8/lib Loaded Configuration File: /opt/php/php8/lib/php.ini Scan for additional .ini files in: (none) Additional .ini files parsed: (none)
We can see that our copied ini file has been identified and loaded as the default php.ini file.
Now enable opcache extension by updating the file as shown below.
# Update php.ini sudo nano /opt/php/php8/lib/php.ini
# Enable opcache extension ---- ---- ;extension=sqlite3 ;extension=tidy ;extension=xsl
zend_extension=opcache
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; Module Settings ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
----
----
Now check whether opcache extension is enabled using the below-mentioned command.
# Check PHP Version /opt/php/php8/bin/php -v
# Output PHP 8.1.0-dev (cli) (built: Mar 30 2021 09:50:54) ( NTS ) Copyright (c) The PHP Group Zend Engine v4.1.0-dev, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies with Zend OPcache v8.1.0-dev, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies
With this, you must end with the latest PHP with JIT support. Now write a simple script to test with and without JIT.
# Create File sudo nano /data/programs/test.php
# Program - Reference - https://arkadiuszkondas.com/compiling-php-8-from-source-with-jit-support/ <?php for( $i = 0; $i < 100; $i++ ) {
echo "Testing JIT Support"; }
# Execute without JIT
/opt/php/php8/bin/php /data/programs/test.php
# Execute with JIT
/opt/php/php8/bin/php -d opcache.enable_cli=1 -d opcache.jit_buffer_size=50000000 -d opcache.jit=1235 /data/programs/test.php
# OR
/opt/php/php8/bin/php -d opcache.enable_cli=1 -d opcache.jit_buffer_size=50000000 -d opcache.jit=1235 -d opcache.jit_debug=1 /data/programs/test.php
# Output with JIT -----
mov $0x558e435c2c90, %rax
call *%rax
mov $EG(exception), %rax
cmp $0x0, (%rax)
jnz JIT$$exception_handler
jmp .L2
.L1:
mov $0x7fbf741db680, %rax
mov %rax, (%r14) -----
The generated assembler code confirms that JIT support is enabled.
Enable PHP-FPM for PHP 8
We can configure the PHP 8 for the Apache Web Server and NGINX by updating the php.ini and php-fpm.conf is shown below.
# Check PHP ini Path (configured in the previous step) /opt/php/php8/bin/php --ini
# Output Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /opt/php/php8/lib Loaded Configuration File: /opt/php/php8/lib/php.ini Scan for additional .ini files in: (none) Additional .ini files parsed: (none)
The above command confirms the location of the php.ini file. Update the php.ini file as shown below.
# Update php.ini sudo nano /opt/php/php8/lib/php.ini
# Make appropriate changes zend_extension=/opt/php/php8/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20201009/opcache.so opcache.enable = 1 opcache.enable_cli = 1 opcache.memory_consumption = 128 opcache.interned_strings_buffer = 8 opcache.max_accelerated_files = 10000 opcache.use_cwd = 0 opcache.validate_timestamps = 0 opcache.save_comments = 0 opcache.load_comments = 0 opcache.enable_file_override = 1
Now create the configuration file of PHP-FPM as shown below.
# Create PHP-FPM configuration file sudo cp /opt/php/php8/etc/php-fpm.conf.default /opt/php/php8/etc/php-fpm.conf
Also, update the php-fpm.conf as shown below.
# Update php-fpm.conf sudo nano /opt/php/php8/etc/php-fpm.conf
# Scroll to last and update the conf as shown below ---- ---- ;include=/opt/php/php8/etc/php-fpm.d/*.conf pid = run/php-fpm.pid [www] user = www-data group = www-data listen = 127.0.0.1:8999 pm = dynamic pm.max_children = 10 pm.start_servers = 2 pm.min_spare_servers = 2 pm.max_spare_servers = 4
Now create the init script to start PHP-FPM on system start.
# Create Init Script sudo nano /etc/init.d/php-8-fpm
# Update the script
#! /bin/sh ### BEGIN INIT INFO # Provides: php-8-fpm # Required-Start: $all # Required-Stop: $all # Default-Start: 2 3 4 5 # Default-Stop: 0 1 6 # Short-Description: starts php-8-fpm # Description: starts the PHP FastCGI Process Manager daemon ### END INIT INFO php_fpm_BIN=/opt/php/php8/sbin/php-fpm php_fpm_CONF=/opt/php/php8/etc/php-fpm.conf php_fpm_PID=/opt/php/php8/var/run/php-fpm.pid php_opts="--fpm-config $php_fpm_CONF"
wait_for_pid () {
try=0
while test $try -lt 35 ; do case "$1" in 'created') if [ -f "$2" ] ; then try='' break fi ;; 'removed') if [ ! -f "$2" ] ; then try='' break fi ;; esac echo -n . try=`expr $try + 1` sleep 1 done } case "$1" in start) echo -n "Starting php-fpm " $php_fpm_BIN $php_opts if [ "$?" != 0 ] ; then echo " failed" exit 1 fi wait_for_pid created $php_fpm_PID if [ -n "$try" ] ; then echo " failed" exit 1 else echo " done" fi ;; stop) echo -n "Gracefully shutting down php-fpm " if [ ! -r $php_fpm_PID ] ; then echo "warning, no pid file found - php-fpm is not running ?" exit 1 fi kill -QUIT `cat $php_fpm_PID` wait_for_pid removed $php_fpm_PID if [ -n "$try" ] ; then echo " failed. Use force-exit" exit 1 else echo " done" echo " done" fi ;; force-quit) echo -n "Terminating php-fpm " if [ ! -r $php_fpm_PID ] ; then echo "warning, no pid file found - php-fpm is not running ?" exit 1 fi kill -TERM `cat $php_fpm_PID` wait_for_pid removed $php_fpm_PID if [ -n "$try" ] ; then echo " failed" exit 1 else echo " done" fi ;; restart) $0 stop $0 start ;; reload) echo -n "Reload service php-fpm " if [ ! -r $php_fpm_PID ] ; then echo "warning, no pid file found - php-fpm is not running ?" exit 1 fi kill -USR2 `cat $php_fpm_PID` echo " done" ;; *) echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|force-quit|restart|reload}" exit 1 ;; esac
Also, make the script executable and start on system start as shown below.
# Change Mode sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/php-8-fpm
# Make Executable sudo update-rc.d php-8-fpm defaults
This completes the configuration of PHP-FPM for the web servers. The web servers including Apache Web Server and NGINX can pass PHP specific requests to PHP-FPM for execution and generates the output of the PHP scripts.
Also, test PHP-FPM before system restart by executing it as shown below.
# Start PHP-FPM sudo /etc/init.d/php-8-fpm start
# Output Starting php-fpm done
# Stop PHP-FPM sudo /etc/init.d/php-8-fpm stop
# Output Gracefully shutting down php-fpm . done done
Configure Apache for PHP 8
We can configure the PHP 8 installed by us to use with Apache 2 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. In case it's not installed yet, you can follow How To Install Apache 2 On Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. After installing Apache 2 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, configure the PHP 8 installed by us as shown below.
# Install Apache Extension sudo apt install libapache2-mod-fcgid
# Enable the extensions sudo a2enmod actions fcgid alias sudo a2enmod proxy sudo a2enmod proxy_http sudo a2enmod proxy_fcgi
# Restart Apache sudo systemctl restart apache2
Also, update the default host to process the PHP script via PHP-FPM as shown below.
# Update Default Host sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
# Update ---- ---- #ServerName www.example.com
ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
DocumentRoot /var/www/html
ProxyPassMatch ^/(.*\.php(/.*)?)$ fcgi://127.0.0.1:8999/var/www/html/$1
DirectoryIndex /index.php index.php
# Available loglevels: trace8, ..., trace1, debug, info, notice, warn,
# error, crit, alert, emerg. ---- ----
Now test the configuration changes as shown below.
# Apache Config Test sudo apachectl configtest
# Output Syntax OK
Also, restart Apache as shown below.
# Reload Apache sudo systemctl restart apache2
Now create the info.php file at the root of the Apache Web Server. You may also create the default file index.php at the root of the Apache Web Server.
# Test phpinfo sudo nano /var/www/html/info.php
# Update <?php echo phpinfo();
Now open the browser and request info.php. It should be similar to Fig 1.
Fig 1
Configure NGINX for PHP 8
In the previous step, we have configured the Apache Web Server to use PHP-FPM as reverse proxy to execute PHP scripts. In this step, we will configure NGINX to execute the PHP scripts using PHP-FPM as reverse proxy.
Update the Nginx user by updating the configuration as shown below.
# Update Nginx user sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
# Update
# user nginx;
user www-data;
...
...
# Test Nginx sudo nginx -t
# Restart Nginx sudo systemctl restart nginx
Now we will configure Nginx to access PHP via FPM since Nginx does not support PHP by default. Update the default server block of NGINX as shown below.
# Update Server Block sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default
# Update ---- ---- server { listen 80 default_server; listen [::]:80 default_server; ---- ---- # Add index.php to the list if you are using PHP index index.php index.html index.htm index.nginx-debian.html; ---- ---- # pass PHP scripts to FastCGI server # location ~ \.php$ { include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf; # # # With php-fpm (or other unix sockets): # fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock; # # With php-cgi (or other tcp sockets): fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:8999; } ---- ----
Now, reload NGINX to apply the configuration changes.
# Reload NGINX sudo systemctl reload nginx
Also, create the info.php file in the root directory of nginx as shown below.
# Create info.php sudo nano /usr/share/nginx/html/info.php
# Content <?php echo phpinfo();
Now, access the info.php from the browser as we did for Apache Web Server in the previous section. It should show the output similar to Fig 1.
Summary
This tutorial provided all the steps required to install PHP 8 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS using the source code with JIT support. It also provided the steps to configure PHP-FPM to start on system restart. The last two sections of this tutorial provided the steps to configure Apache Web Server and NGINX to use PHP-FPM as a reverse proxy to process PHP requests.
