Where is php.ini file located?

When you are working with various flavors of Linux servers, you may not know where the php.ini file is located. The php.ini file is a PHP configuration file that is used to customize the behaviors and features of the PHP scripting language. A php.ini file is placed in different directory locations of a server depending on the flavor and version of the Linux server you're working with.

Finding the location of the php.ini file in a PHP development environment involves a few different methods. Here are some common ways to locate the php.ini file:

1. Command Line

If you have shell access, you may use the following Linux commands to locate the php.ini file.

%> whereis php
php: /usr/bin/php /etc/php.ini /etc/php.d /usr/lib/php /usr/include/php /usr/share/man/man1/php.1.gz

%> php -i |grep php.ini

# Or, you may use a brute force "find" command to search the entire filesystem
%> find / -type f -name "php.ini" -print

2. Using phpinfo()

You may also create a php info file to find the php configuration of a server. Create a file called "phpinfo.php", and add the following content:

The phpinfo() not only shows you where the php.ini file is located but also reveals details of your server and PHP configurations as well as installed modules and their versions.

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Alternatively, you may run:
<?php
echo ini_get('loaded_configuration_file');
?>

Save the file, and run it on your server.

3. Common Locations

Depending on your operating system and PHP installation, php.ini is commonly located in the following directories.

/etc/php.ini (Red Hat/Centos)

/etc/php/php.ini
/etc/php7/php.ini

/etc/php7/apache2/php.ini (SuSE)

/usr/bin/php7/bin/php.ini

/usr/local/Zend/php.ini
/usr/local/lib/php.ini

C:\php\php.ini or C:\Windows\php.ini (Windows)