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Installing PHP on OSX and it installed PHP 8.2.x.  However, for my applications I need to run 8.1.x.  How do you switch the current PHP version?

 

Current version

Check the current PHP version by executing the command

php -v

Response:

PHP 8.2.2 (cli) (built: Feb  5 2023 12:38:16) (NTS)
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.2.2, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
    with Zend OPcache v8.2.2, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies

 

Unlink PHP

To change your PHP version, begin by unlinking the current version.

brew unlink php@8.2

Response:

Unlinking /opt/homebrew/Cellar/php/8.2.2... 24 symlinks removed.

 

Link PHP

To set the PHP version, use link

brew link php@8.1

Response

Linking /opt/homebrew/Cellar/php@8.1/8.1.15... 25 symlinks created.

If you need to have this software first in your PATH instead consider running:
  echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
  echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/sbin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc

 

Validate the version

Check the current version of PHP, using php -v

PHP 8.1.15 (cli) (built: Feb  2 2023 18:33:03) (NTS)
Copyright (c) The PHP Group
Zend Engine v4.1.15, Copyright (c) Zend Technologies
    with Zend OPcache v8.1.15, Copyright (c), by Zend Technologies

 

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