Complete Guide to Installing PHP 7 on CentOS 7

gitbox 2025-08-06

Introduction

Installing PHP 7 on a CentOS 7 system can significantly improve server performance and enhance security. This article provides a step-by-step guide to installing PHP 7 in a CentOS 7 environment, including configuration and extension management.

Installing PHP 7 Dependencies

Before installing PHP 7, you’ll need to set up several required packages. Run the following commands as the root user:

yum -y install epel-release
yum -y update
yum -y install http://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-7.rpm
yum -y install yum-utils

Installing PHP 7

Once the repositories are set up, install PHP 7 using this command:

yum -y install php7.4

This will install PHP 7.4 along with its recommended modules, providing enhanced features and performance.

Verifying PHP Installation

To verify that PHP has been installed correctly, use the command below:

php -v

If successful, this will display the current PHP version installed on the system.

Configuring PHP Settings

The main configuration file for PHP is located at /etc/php.ini. You can open and edit it using:

vi /etc/php.ini

Common adjustments include modifying the maximum execution time or increasing memory limits. After editing the file, restart your web server to apply changes:

systemctl restart httpd
# or
systemctl restart nginx

Installing Common PHP Extensions

To enable features like MySQL database access, image processing, and XML handling, install the following common PHP extensions:

yum -y install php7.4-mysql php7.4-gd php7.4-xml php7.4-mbstring php7.4-json php7.4-curl

These modules enhance PHP's functionality and compatibility with various applications.

Verifying Installed Extensions

Use the following command to verify whether a specific extension is installed:

php -m | grep extension_name

Replace extension_name with the actual module name (e.g., mbstring or curl). If installed, the module name will appear in the output.

Conclusion

This guide covered the full process of installing PHP 7 on CentOS 7, from setting up dependencies to configuring the environment and installing essential extensions. With this setup, your server is now better equipped for modern web development and application deployment.