Switch php versions on commandline ubuntu 16.04
Interactive switching mode
sudo update-alternatives --config phpsudo update-alternatives --config pharsudo update-alternatives --config phar.phar
Manual Switching
From PHP 5.6 => PHP 7.1
Default PHP 5.6 is set on your system and you need to switch to PHP 7.1.
Apache:
$ sudo a2dismod php5.6$ sudo a2enmod php7.1$ sudo service apache2 restart
Command Line:
$ sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php7.1$ sudo update-alternatives --set phar /usr/bin/phar7.1$ sudo update-alternatives --set phar.phar /usr/bin/phar.phar7.1
From PHP 7.1 => PHP 5.6
Default PHP 7.1 is set on your system and you need to switch to PHP 5.6.
Apache:
$ sudo a2dismod php7.1$ sudo a2enmod php5.6$ sudo service apache2 restart
Command Line:
$ sudo update-alternatives --set php /usr/bin/php5.6
$ sudo update-alternatives --config php
should work for all ubuntu versions after 16.04 (18.04 and 20.04)
This is what you should see as a response
There are 4 choices for the alternative php (providing /usr/bin/php). Selection Path Priority Status------------------------------------------------------------* 0 /usr/bin/php7.2 72 auto mode 1 /usr/bin/php5.6 56 manual mode 2 /usr/bin/php7.0 70 manual mode 3 /usr/bin/php7.1 71 manual mode 4 /usr/bin/php7.2 72 manual modePress <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:
Choose the appropriate version
To list all available versions and choose from them :
sudo update-alternatives --config php
Or do manually
sudo a2dismod php7.1 // disablesudo a2enmod php5.6 // enable