How to Install PHP on Any Server (Linux, macOS, Windows)

[mouakter13]

Setting up a server can be a daunting task, especially when installing languages ​​like PHP. If you want to get a WordPress test server up and running, it's a necessary skill to learn.

Don't have any idea where to start when implementing PHP on your server? Depending on your unique setup, there are many ways to do it. Where do you download PHP, what version, what do you need to get it working, and how do you install PHP on various operating systems?

We will answer all these questions in this PHP installation guide.

Let's get started!


Check out our video tutorial for installing PHP

Play video
What is PHP?
PHP Logo
PHP Logo
PHP is an open-source scripting language used primarily for web development and server-side (backend) scripting. In simple terms:

PHP can be installed on a server to run scripts (for example, pieces of code to add forms to your site).
It runs on the server side and not the client side, so it works on the backend and not in the browser.
It integrates well with HTML , making it very suitable for web development.
It is also one of the easiest web programming languages ​​to learn , making it a bulgaria phone number data popular choice for beginners. But it is also quite powerful and suitable for advanced website features.

Many websites and tools use PHP and its numerous extensions (.NET, Apache, and MySQL may sound familiar). WordPress is primarily built on top of PHP, and most of its plugins and themes run on it as well.

Does Your Server Need PHP?
You already know what PHP is, but why should you install it on your server?

The most obvious reason is that it is a requirement for WordPress to function, as it is built almost exclusively on PHP. PHP is also the engine behind most WordPress functions, hooks, themes, and plugins.

You can see all other WordPress system requirements here: