Why does my Linux Server not recognize "php" as a program?

Question

I am in need of using PHP from the command line. When I type

php ....

The system says:

-bash: php: command not found

Now, I know for fact that PHP is up and running b/c it hosts my drupal site. I'm not sure how to find the program. I'm searching through the directories for the path without any success.

What am I missing?

I am using Ubuntu Linux.

I have the following packages installed:

php5                                            install
php5-common                                     install
php5-curl                                       install
php5-gd                                         install
php5-mcrypt                                     install
php5-mysql                                      install

Which server OS are you using? Which package-manager are you using? — hakre, Aug 22 '11 at 15:11

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:06

9

Probably you need to install the CLI (command line interpreter) package. In Ubuntu or Debian this can be done via apt-get install php5-cli

answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:06

akirk

338
4
9

1

How do you know he uses a system that has apt? – Aug 22 '11 at 15:07
2

It's pretty much the norm these days, and if the assumption is wrong then an edit can be made once the OP responds. – Aug 22 '11 at 15:09
How do you know the package is called `php5-cli` and not `php-cli` for example? – hakre Aug 22 '11 at 15:10
2

Don't speculate, let the OP respond. But as an indicator he tagged this question with php5 – Aug 22 '11 at 15:11
There's the correct answer then. – Aug 22 '11 at 15:21
@Nobody he states he is using Ubuntu, Ubuntu comes with apt installed – Aug 22 '11 at 15:25
@Traves Pesseto: When I posted he did not state that. – Aug 22 '11 at 15:43

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:09

2

Most distributions split mod_php (the Apache module) and the PHP command line executable into separate packages. You will need to find the CLI package and install it.

answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:09

Quentin

1,157
6
10

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:09

0

If you believe that php is already on the system you can try

locate php

to find the program.

answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:09

borrible

101
1

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 22 '11 at 15:12

As akirk has hinted, the PHP which runs stuff on your webserver is probably not the same bit of code of which runs stuff from the command line.

Without knowing what distribution of Linux this is / what non-standard configurations have been applied we can't advise how to install the appropriate version of PHP / determine the location of an existing installation.

Why does my Linux Server not recognize "php" as a program?

4 Answers4