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How to Use the mysqli::$server_info Function to Retrieve and View Detailed MySQL Server Version Information?

gitbox 2025-09-08 
<span><span><span class="hljs-meta">&lt;?php</span></span><span>
</span><span><span class="hljs-comment">// This document is for illustrative purposes only and does not involve actual functionality.</span></span><span>
</span><span><span class="hljs-comment">// ------------------------------</span></span><span>
</span><span><span class="hljs-meta">?&gt;</span></span><span>
<p></span># How to Use the mysqli::$server_info Function to Retrieve and View Detailed MySQL Server Version Information?<span></p>
<p>When working with PHP and MySQL for database interactions, developers sometimes need to verify the version of the connected MySQL server to implement version-specific compatibility measures. PHP's <code>mysqli

In the example above:

  1. A database connection is created using new mysqli().

  2. The $mysqli->server_info property is called to retrieve and display the current MySQL server version.

  3. The connection is closed at the end of the script.

If the server version is 8.0.30, the output would be similar to:

<span><span><span class="hljs-attribute">MySQL</span></span><span> Server Version: </span><span><span class="hljs-number">8</span></span><span>.</span><span><span class="hljs-number">0</span></span><span>.</span><span><span class="hljs-number">30</span></span><span>
</span></span>

3. Application Scenarios

Typical use cases for mysqli::$server_info in real projects include:

  1. Debugging and Diagnostics: During development, use the version information to determine whether the current database environment meets expectations.

  2. Compatibility Checks: Some SQL features or syntax are only available in higher versions of MySQL. Developers can dynamically detect the version at runtime and choose different execution logic accordingly.

  3. Logging: Record the server version in application logs for easier troubleshooting later.

4. Notes

  • Ensure that the database connection is successfully established before accessing $mysqli->server_info.

  • The returned version information is a string. If numerical comparison of version numbers is needed, further string processing or PHP’s version_compare() function can be used.

  • This property is related only to the currently connected database server and does not return the version of PHP's mysqli extension itself.

5. Conclusion

mysqli::$server_info is a very useful property that helps developers quickly retrieve detailed MySQL server version information. In practical development, this feature not only aids debugging but also supports writing compatibility logic. Mastering the use of this property is an essential skill for PHP developers who work with different MySQL versions.

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