Install PHP on Debian

PHP is a crucial component for web development, and having the latest version ensures access to the newest features and security updates. Debian 12, known for its stability and reliability, is a popular choice for hosting PHP-based applications. This post guides you through installing the latest PHP version on Debian 12.

TLDR #

sudo apt install -y lsb-release apt-transport-https ca-certificates && \
sudo wget -O "/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/php.gpg" "https://packages.sury.org/php/apt.gpg" && \
echo "deb https://packages.sury.org/php/ $(lsb_release -sc) main" | sudo tee "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/php.list" && \
sudo apt update

Pre-Installation Steps #

Before beginning the installation, it’s important to update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

These commands will update your package list and upgrade existing packages to their latest versions.

Adding a Third-Party Repository #

Debian’s default repositories might not always contain the latest PHP version. To access the most recent release, you’ll need to add a third-party repository maintained by Ondřej Surý, a well-known PHP maintainer:

sudo apt install lsb-release apt-transport-https ca-certificates
sudo wget -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/php.gpg https://packages.sury.org/php/apt.gpg
echo "deb https://packages.sury.org/php/ $(lsb_release -sc) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/php.list

This sequence adds the necessary GPG key and repository for the latest PHP versions.

Installing the Latest PHP #

First, update your package list:

sudo apt update

Then, install the latest PHP version available in the repository:

sudo apt install php

NOTE: php and php-fpm packages are dependency packages, which depends on latest stable PHP version.

Optionally, you can install additional PHP modules based on your requirements:

sudo apt install php-cli php-fpm php-mysql php-xml php-curl ...