upgrading to php 8.1 on local computer

[webdeveloper123]

Hi Guys,

I wanted to upgrade to php 8.1, locally. I found a tutorial online that show's how to do this and I understood the steps. The thing is It is asking me to change environment variables, which is fine because I've done it before for another programming language so I am familiar with it. I should say at this point I am using AMPPS on Windows 10. Thing is he says in the tutorial "If you don't already have php" under Enviroment variables ->System Variables -> [Path] -> Edit then add it. I don't see anything with php there but I do have php 7.3 running locally. And another thing I was concerned about he just went to DOS after installing it and used the command -> php -version and he's came up at the correct version that he installed. I did this before I have done anything from the tutorial and it comes up with php not recognised. And while he was sharing he's screen for the tutorial I saw he had a "xampp" folder and I am running "ampps" So I guess that question is, is it safe to follow that tutorial. Because the only other option is to delete AMPPS and download the latest version. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITweSppjLlY. I will break that tutorial down:

First he downloads the php version he is installing.

Unzips etc

Placed the folder in the c:/ drive

Goes to System properties -> Environment variables

Under System Variables -> Path and then edit

Then he says If you have php there, delete it

Then add new, and add the path of the unzipped folder from the c:/ drive

Then Ok every screen

Thanks

[webdeveloper123]

btw, I tried updating to php 8 via ampps and It can't be done with the version I'm running. Trust me, I've been at it for 2 days. It will say on the website you can and show tutorials, but when I follow the tutorials links are missing, things don't come up as expected and I can only downgrade my php, not upgrade. I think it is because I am running the free version.

[mac_gyver]

you don't have to add php to the windows path, unless you want to run the php Command Line Interpreter (CLI) anywhere outside of the folder the CLI is located in. if all you are doing is running the web server based installation of php, you don't have to set the windows path at all. you would have to set/change values within the web server configuration to use the correct php  folder/version files.

i would make a copy of all your document root files/folders, export all your databases to .sql files, remove the existing ampps installation, then install a free xAMP stack.

[webdeveloper123]

Thanks I didn't know that. I'm thinking of backing up everything and then getting XAMPP, because then If I install AMPPS, I'm back to square one if I want to upgrade php again

[benanamen]

Hold on! Leave XAMPP alone. You will be much better off using Laragon.

https://laragon.org/

[webdeveloper123]

too late!

[benanamen]

1 hour ago, webdeveloper123 said:

too late!

No it isnt. You can still install and use Laragon.

[Jeanrow]

Install XAMPP, it will be used to setup Apache server on your computer.

Yes you need a server side modules, you can't simply open PHP files from your 😧 drive via a browser and expect them to execute.