PHP Images

Ready-to-use docker images for PHP 8.1–8.5 (ghcr.io/patchlevel/php) plus a small phpenv helper that gives you php81 … php85 commands on your $PATH.

Install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/patchlevel/php/main/install.sh | bash

The installer generates the php8x commands, adds them to your $PATH (~/.zshrc / ~/.bashrc) and makes the phpenv command available.

Restart your shell (or source your rc file), then pull the images:

phpenv pull

Usage

Each version is available as its own command and runs in the current directory. The command is smart about its arguments:

php85                 # no args  -> interactive PHP REPL (php -a)
php85 -v             # a flag   -> runs php with it (php -v)
php85 -r 'echo 1;'   #          -> php -r '...'
php85 composer install   # a word -> runs that command in the container
php85 vendor/bin/phpunit
php85 bash               # drop into a shell inside the container

Rule of thumb: if the first argument starts with - it is passed to php, otherwise it is executed as a command inside the container.

It also works in pipes and CI — when no terminal is attached the docker container is started without an interactive TTY:

echo '<?php echo PHP_VERSION;' | php85 php

Managing phpenv

phpenv list        # show available versions and their commands
phpenv pull        # pull all docker images
phpenv update      # git pull, regenerate the commands and pull images
phpenv uninstall   # remove the commands and the PATH entry
phpenv help        # show all commands