How to Install Multiple PHP Versions on Ubuntu and Debian

To install multiple PHP versions on Ubuntu, add the ppa:ondrej/php repository (on Debian, packages.sury.org), then install each version’s FPM package, for example sudo apt install php8.3-fpm php8.4-fpm. Each version runs as its own service with its own socket, such as /run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock. Point each site’s fastcgi_pass (Nginx) or SetHandler (Apache) at the socket for the version it needs.

Difficulty	Time	Works on	Needs
Intermediate	15 minutes	Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04, Debian 12 / 13 (AlmaLinux / Rocky: see below)	sudo, Nginx or Apache

Before you start

Use a user with sudo. If you are root, leave out sudo.
Take a backup or snapshot first. Adding a repository can upgrade the PHP version you already run.
Supported PHP branches today: 8.2 and 8.3 get security fixes only (until 31 December 2026 and 31 December 2027), 8.4 and 8.5 get full support. Avoid 8.1 and older; they are end-of-life upstream.

Each Ubuntu and Debian release ships one PHP version: 8.3 on Ubuntu 24.04, 8.4 on Debian 13. For other versions, the usual source is the repository run by Ondřej Surý, who maintains PHP packages for Debian. It is a third-party repository, not part of Ubuntu or Debian.

How to add the PHP repository

Ubuntu
Debian

sudo apt update
sudo apt install software-properties-common
sudo LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
sudo apt update

The PPA supports Ubuntu LTS releases in standard support (22.04 and 24.04).

curl -sSL https://packages.sury.org/php/README.txt | sudo bash -x
sudo apt update

The script installs the signing key and adds /etc/apt/sources.list.d/php.list. Debian stable and oldstable (13 and 12) are supported.

How to install a second PHP version

Install the FPM package and the extensions your app needs, with the version in each name:

sudo apt install php8.4-fpm php8.4-mysql php8.4-curl php8.4-gd php8.4-intl php8.4-mbstring php8.4-xml php8.4-zip

Repeat with php8.3-…, php8.5-… and so on. Each version gets its own files:

Version	Service	Socket	php.ini (FPM)
8.3	`php8.3-fpm`	`/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock`	`/etc/php/8.3/fpm/php.ini`
8.4	`php8.4-fpm`	`/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock`	`/etc/php/8.4/fpm/php.ini`
8.5	`php8.5-fpm`	`/run/php/php8.5-fpm.sock`	`/etc/php/8.5/fpm/php.ini`

Check that both services run:

systemctl status php8.3-fpm php8.4-fpm

How to choose the PHP version per site

Nginx
Apache

In each site’s server block, set the socket for the version that site needs:

location ~ \.php$ {
    include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
    fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock;
}

sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl reload nginx

Use PHP-FPM instead of mod_php, then set a handler per virtual host:

sudo a2enmod proxy_fcgi setenvif

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName example.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com/public_html

    <FilesMatch \.php$>
        SetHandler "proxy:unix:/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock|fcgi://localhost"
    </FilesMatch>
</VirtualHost>

sudo apache2ctl configtest && sudo systemctl reload apache2

If libapache2-mod-php is installed, disable it (sudo a2dismod php8.3) so it does not override the handler.

How to change the default PHP for the command line

The php command (used by Composer, cron jobs and WP-CLI) follows the Debian alternatives system:

sudo update-alternatives --config php

Pick a number from the list, or set it directly:

sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php8.4
php -v

You can also call a version by name, for example php8.3 artisan migrate.

How to check it worked

Put a test file in the site’s web root:

echo '<?php echo PHP_VERSION, " ", php_sapi_name(), "\n";' > /var/www/example.com/info.php
curl -H "Host: example.com" http://127.0.0.1/info.php
rm /var/www/example.com/info.php

The output shows the version and fpm-fcgi, for example 8.4.x fpm-fcgi.

How to run several PHP versions on AlmaLinux and Rocky

Use Remi’s repository, which installs extra versions as prefixed packages next to the system PHP:

sudo dnf install https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-10.noarch.rpm
sudo dnf install https://rpms.remirepo.net/enterprise/remi-release-10.rpm
sudo crb install
sudo dnf install php85 php85-php-fpm php85-php-mysqlnd
sudo systemctl enable --now php85-php-fpm

On release 9, use epel-release-latest-9 and remi-release-9. The PHP 8.5 FPM socket is /var/opt/remi/php85/run/php-fpm/www.sock and its configuration lives under /etc/opt/remi/php85. Use that socket in fastcgi_pass.

Frequently asked questions

Will adding the repository upgrade my current PHP?

It can upgrade the patch level and extensions of the version you already have. It does not switch your sites to a new major version; you choose that per site.

Which extensions do I need for each version?

Extensions are per version. If a site needs mbstring on PHP 8.4, install php8.4-mbstring even if php8.3-mbstring is already there. List loaded modules with php8.4 -m.

How do I remove an old PHP version?

Switch every site away from it first, then run sudo apt purge 'php8.2*' and sudo apt autoremove.

Do php.ini changes apply to all versions?

No. Each version has its own php.ini and FPM pool. See increase PHP upload size.

VPS and dedicated server guides

Every server guide in one place.

Install a LEMP stack

Nginx with PHP-FPM.

Install a LAMP stack

Apache with PHP.

Fix 502 Bad Gateway

Wrong socket name? Start here.

Update Linux packages

Keep every version patched.

Checked against the official PHP supported versions page, the deb.sury.org FAQ and Remi’s PHP 8.5 guides on 4 November 2026; Nginx and Apache per-site PHP-FPM configuration and update-alternatives tested on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with PHP 8.3. Adding the third-party repositories was not tested. Commands can differ on other distributions or releases.

Need Extra Help?

If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

Live Chat: Quick assistance via our website.
Support Ticket: Open a Ticket
Discord: Join our Community
Email: support@freakhosting.com

Save on Your Hosting

Ready to upgrade your hosting? Use code KB20 at checkout for 20% off your first order!

Last Updated: November 2026

Start here

Connect to your server

Linux basics

Linux security

Networking

Web servers & websites

Databases

Docker & self-hosting

Backups & storage

Performance & monitoring

Linux troubleshooting

Windows Server basics

Windows Server security & networking

Windows Server troubleshooting

Account & notifications

How to Install Multiple PHP Versions on Ubuntu and Debian

Before you start

How to add the PHP repository

How to install a second PHP version

How to choose the PHP version per site

How to change the default PHP for the command line

How to check it worked

How to run several PHP versions on AlmaLinux and Rocky

Frequently asked questions

Will adding the repository upgrade my current PHP?

Which extensions do I need for each version?

How do I remove an old PHP version?

Do php.ini changes apply to all versions?

VPS and dedicated server guides

Install a LEMP stack

Install a LAMP stack

Fix 502 Bad Gateway

Update Linux packages

Need Extra Help?

Save on Your Hosting

​Before you start

​How to add the PHP repository

​How to install a second PHP version

​How to choose the PHP version per site

​How to change the default PHP for the command line

​How to check it worked

​How to run several PHP versions on AlmaLinux and Rocky

​Frequently asked questions

​Will adding the repository upgrade my current PHP?

​Which extensions do I need for each version?

​How do I remove an old PHP version?

​Do php.ini changes apply to all versions?

​Related guides

VPS and dedicated server guides

Install a LEMP stack

Install a LAMP stack

Fix 502 Bad Gateway

Update Linux packages

​Need Extra Help?

​Save on Your Hosting

Before you start

How to add the PHP repository

How to install a second PHP version

How to choose the PHP version per site

How to change the default PHP for the command line

How to check it worked

How to run several PHP versions on AlmaLinux and Rocky

Frequently asked questions

Will adding the repository upgrade my current PHP?

Which extensions do I need for each version?

How do I remove an old PHP version?

Do php.ini changes apply to all versions?

Related guides

Need Extra Help?

Save on Your Hosting