How to Edit php.ini Files

Intro

PHP configurations are managed through the php.ini file. Editing this file allows you to customize various PHP settings such as enabling or disabling short tags, setting memory limits, and more.

This guide will show you how to edit the php.ini file on Ubuntu servers for both OpenLiteSpeed and Nginx to enable short PHP tags.

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Locating php.ini File for Nginx on ubuntu

Depending on the PHP version you are using, the php.ini file is typically located in one of the following directories:

/etc/php/7.4/fpm/php.ini  # For PHP 7.4
/etc/php/8.0/fpm/php.ini  # For PHP 8.0
/etc/php/8.1/fpm/php.ini  # For PHP 8.1

We can use the command php --ini in the terminal to find the path of the php.ini file.

root@ubuntu:~# php --ini
Configuration File (php.ini) Path: /etc/php/8.1/cli
Loaded Configuration File:         /etc/php/8.1/cli/php.ini
Scan for additional .ini files in: /etc/php/8.1/cli/conf.d
Additional .ini files parsed:      /etc/php/8.1/cli/conf.d/10-mysqlnd.ini,
.... .... ....

To find the exact path, run:

php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration File"

This is the output:

root@ubuntu:~# php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration File"
Loaded Configuration File:         /etc/php/8.1/cli/php.ini

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Locating php.ini File for OpenLiteSpeed on ubuntu

For OpenLiteSpeed, the php.ini file is usually located in:

/usr/local/lsws/lsphp74/etc/php/7.4/litespeed/php.ini  # For PHP 7.4
/usr/local/lsws/lsphp80/etc/php/8.0/litespeed/php.ini  # For PHP 8.0

If you’re unsure of the path, you can find it by running:

php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration File"

This is the output:

root@ubuntu:~# php --ini | grep "Loaded Configuration File"
Loaded Configuration File:         /usr/local/lsws/lsphp81/etc/php/8.1/litespeed/php.ini

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Editing the php.ini File

Use a text editor like nano or vim to open the php.ini file. Replace 8.1 with your actual PHP version.

For Nginx:

nano /etc/php/8.1/cli/php.ini

For OpenLiteSpeed:

nano /usr/local/lsws/lsphp81/etc/php/8.1/litespeed/php.ini

Search for the short_open_tag directive. To search in nano, press Ctrl + W, type short_open_tag, and press Enter.

Modify the line to:

short_open_tag = On

If the line is commented out (has a ; at the beginning), remove the ; to uncomment it.

• For nano, press Ctrl + X, then Y, and press Enter to save and exit.
• For vim, press Esc, type :wq, and press Enter.

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Restart Services To Apply Changes

After making the changes, we need to restart the services to apply the changes.

For Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart php8.1-fpm
sudo systemctl restart nginx

For OpenLiteSpeed:

sudo systemctl restart lsws

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Verify The Changes

To confirm that the short tags are enabled, create a test PHP file in your web server’s root directory:

<?  // Notice how we are using short tags.
    phpinfo(); 
?>

Access this file via your browser (e.g., http://yourserver.com/test.php). Check the short_open_tag value in the output to see if it is set to On.

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Conclusion

Editing the php.ini file is straightforward but requires attention to detail. Always ensure you have the correct path to the php.ini file and restart the appropriate services after making changes. This guide covered how to enable short PHP tags for both Nginx and OpenLiteSpeed on Ubuntu servers.