Check the PHP version: Enter php -v in the terminal. If the PHP version information is displayed, the installation is correct. Otherwise, PATH is not installed or configured; 2. Create a PHP information file: Create info.php in the server root directory and write <?php phpinfo(); ?>, and access http://localhost/info.php through the browser to see if the configuration information is output; 3. Troubleshooting common problems: Confirm the server is running, the PHP module is enabled, the file extension is correct, and PHP has been added to PATH; 4. Run the test script: Create the test.php file and execute , if the corresponding text is output, PHP works normally. Follow the above steps to verify the PHP installation and configuration status one by one.

You can check if PHP is installed correctly by verifying its version through the command line, creating a test PHP file, and checking for any errors or output. Here's how to do it step by step.

Check PHP version via command line

This is the fastest way to confirm whether PHP is installed and accessible system-wide.

• Open your terminal (or command prompt on Windows).

• Type php -v and press Enter.

• If PHP is installed properly, you'll see output like:

   PHP 8.2.12 (cli) (built: Jul 18 2024 12:34:56) ( ZTS Visual C 2019 x64 )
  Copyright (c) The PHP Group
  Zend Engine v4.2.12, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies

If you get an error like 'php' is not recognized as an internal or external command , then PHP isn't in your system's PATH or isn't installed at all.

Create a PHP info file

This method tests both the PHP installation and its integration with your web server (like Apache or Nginx).

• Create a file named info.php in your web server's root directory (often htdocs for XAMPP or /var/www/html on Linux).

• Add the following code to the file:

   <?php phpinfo(); ?>

• Save the file and open a browser.

• Visit http://localhost/info.php .

If everything is working:

• You'll see a detailed page showing PHP configuration, loaded modules, and environment settings.

If not:

• You might see a blank page, a download prompt, or an error — which means there's a problem with your server or PHP setup.

Troubleshoot common issues

Even if you think PHP is installed, certain misconfigurations can block it from working properly.

Here are some common issues and what to check:

• Web server not configured to use PHP

  • Make sure your web server (Apache, Nginx, etc.) is running.
  • Check that the PHP module is enabled or properly referenced in the server config files.

• PHP not added to system PATH

  • On Windows, ensure the folder containing php.exe is in the system PATH environment variable.
  • Test again using php -v after updating PATH.

• Incorrect file extension or MIME type

  • Ensure the file has a .php extension.
  • Avoid naming it .html or .php.txt by mistake.

• Server not parsing PHP files

  • This can happen if you're opening the file directly ( file:// ) instead of through a local server ( http://localhost/ ).

Run a basic PHP script

Instead of relying only on phpinfo() , test a small script to make sure PHP is executing properly.

• Create a file called test.php in your web root or project folder.

• Paste this simple script:

   <?php
  echo "Hello, PHP is working!";
  ?>

• Run it in the browser or via CLI:

   php test.php

• If it outputs Hello, PHP is working! , then PHP is functioning as expected.

If you see the actual PHP code displayed in the browser, that means the server isn't processing PHP scripts — double-check your server configuration.

That's basically how you check if PHP is installed and working. It doesn't take long, but each step helps isolate where things might be going wrong.

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