How to check PHP syntax using the command line

howchoo   (467)

August 14, 2023

2 minutes

What you'll need

Interests

shell x 1

PHP x 1

Howchoo is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you when you buy through our links.

Posted in these interests:

Code

code • 11 guides

PHP

php • 1 guides

Programming

programming • 1 guides

Webdev

webdev • 10 guides

If you’re using PHP for web development, you may often want to check the syntax of your file without opening it in a browser. Checking syntax is quite easy from the command line.

Visit this guide to learn how to check your PHP version.

1 – Open Terminal or any other unix shell

If you’re on a Mac you can open Terminal which is located in:

Applications/Utilities

2 – Navigate to your project folder

You can navigate to your project folder by using the change directory or cd command followed by the directory. For me it is: cd /Users/josephtylerjones/Developer/scripts/

3 – Use the php command with the -l option

Now you can check the syntax of your script by running php -l followed by the file name. For me it is:

php -l testfile.php

This command will detect any syntax errors in your script!

Secure Your Sensitive Data with Kubernetes Secrets

howchoo   (467)

November 26, 2023