Installing PHP on Ubuntu 20.04

Introduction

PHP is a popular general-purpose scripting language that is widely used for web development. It is a server-side technology, meaning that it runs on the web server and generates dynamic HTML content that is sent to the client's browser. This allows you to create dynamic web pages and web applications that can interact with databases, handle forms, process user input, and more.

Step 1: Update System Packages

Before installing PHP, it's always a good idea to update the system's package manager. Open a terminal and run the following command:

        
sudo apt update
        
    

Step 2: Install PHP

To install PHP on Ubuntu 20.04, run the following command in the terminal:

        
sudo apt install php
        
    

Step 3: Confirm PHP Installation

After the installation is complete, you can verify it by running the following command:

        
php -v
        
    

This should display the version of PHP installed on your system.

Step 4: Additional PHP Modules

Depending on your specific needs, you may need to install additional PHP modules for specific functionalities. These modules provide extra features and extend the capabilities of PHP. You can search for available modules with the following command:

        
apt search php-
        
    

To install a specific module, you can use the "apt install" command followed by the module name. For example, to install the MySQL extension:

        
sudo apt install php-mysql
        
    

Conclusion

PHP is a versatile scripting language that allows you to create dynamic web applications. By following the steps outlined above, you should now have PHP installed on your Ubuntu 20.04 system. Remember to check for updates and install any required PHP modules to suit your specific project requirements.