Easy installation of PHP extensions in official PHP Docker images

This repository contains a script that can be used to easily install a PHP extension inside the official PHP Docker images.

The script will install all the required APT/APK packages; at the end of the script execution, the no-more needed packages will be removed so that the image will be much smaller.

Supported docker images are:

• Debian-based docker images: since jessie (Debian 8) (minimum PHP version: 5.5)
• Alpine-based docker images: since Alpine 3.9 (minimum PHP version: 7.1)

See also the notes in the Special requirements section.

Usage

You have many ways to use this script within your Dockerfiles.

Here's a list of sample Dockerfiles that install the GD and xdebug PHP extensions:

Downloading the script on the fly with ADD

FROM php:7.2-cli

ADD --chmod=0755 https://github.com/mlocati/docker-php-extension-installer/releases/latest/download/install-php-extensions /usr/local/bin/

RUN install-php-extensions gd xdebug

Downloading the script on the fly with curl

FROM php:7.2-cli

RUN curl -sSLf \
        -o /usr/local/bin/install-php-extensions \
        https://github.com/mlocati/docker-php-extension-installer/releases/latest/download/install-php-extensions && \
    chmod +x /usr/local/bin/install-php-extensions && \
    install-php-extensions gd xdebug

Direct execution with curl

FROM php:8.2-cli

RUN ( curl -sSLf https://github.com/mlocati/docker-php-extension-installer/releases/latest/download/install-php-extensions -o - || echo 'return 1' ) | sh -s \
      gd xdebug

Copying the script from a Docker image

FROM php:7.2-cli

COPY --from=mlocati/php-extension-installer /usr/bin/install-php-extensions /usr/local/bin/

RUN install-php-extensions gd xdebug

Warning: by using this method you may use an outdated version of the mlocati/php-extension-installer image. You may want to run docker pull mlocati/php-extension-installer in order to use an up-to-date version.

Using the script of a Docker image

RUN  --mount=type=bind,from=mlocati/php-extension-installer:latest,source=/usr/bin/install-php-extensions,target=/usr/local/bin/install-php-extensions \
      install-php-extensions gd xdebug

Warning: by using this method you may use an outdated version of the mlocati/php-extension-installer image. You may want to run docker pull mlocati/php-extension-installer in order to use an up-to-date version.

Installing specific versions of an extension

Simply append -<version> to the module name. For example:

install-php-extensions xdebug-2.9.7

The script also supports resolving compatible versions by prefixing the version with a caret (^). For example:

# Install the most recent xdebug 2.x version (for example 2.9.8)
install-php-extensions xdebug-^2
# Install the most recent xdebug 2.8.x version (for example 2.8.1)
install-php-extensions xdebug-^2.8

Please remark that with the syntax above you'll get the vary latest compatible version, which may be unstable. In order to install the most recent stable version, you can append @stable:

# Install the most recent STABLE xdebug 3.x version (for example 3.2.2)
install-php-extensions xdebug-^3@stable

(valid suffixes are: @snapshot, @devel, @alpha, @beta, and @stable)

Pre-release versions extensions available on PECL can be setup by suffixing the extension's name with its state i.e. alpha, beta, rc, preview, devel or snapshot. For example:

install-php-extensions xdebug-beta

TIP: When the latest version available on PECL is not stable, and you want to keep the last stable version, force it by suffixing the extension's name with the stable state. For example:

install-php-extensions mongodb-stable

Installing an extension from its source code

You can also install PHP extensions from source code (provided that it comes with a package.xml or a package2.xml file).

Accepted formats are:

• A short version for repositories hosted on GitHub.
  For example, for the php-memcached-dev/php-memcached GitHub repository, you can simply write:

  # Install from a specific commit (full commit SHA-1)
  install-php-extensions php-memcached-dev/php-memcached@8f106564e6bb005ca6100b12ccc89000daafa9d8
  # Install from a specific commit (short commit SHA-1)
  install-php-extensions php-memcached-dev/php-memcached@8f106564e6bb
  # Install from tag v3.2.0RC2
  install-php-extensions php-memcached-dev/php-memcached@v3.2.0RC2
  install-php-extensions php-memcached-dev/php-memcached@refs/tags/v3.2.0RC2
  # Install from branch master
  install-php-extensions php-memcached-dev/php-memcached@master
  install-php-extensions php-memcached-dev/php-memcached@refs/heads/master
  

• An URL providing an archive containing the source code.
  Examples:

  # tgz archive for commit 8f106564e6bb005ca6100b12ccc89000daafa9d8
  install-php-extensions https://codeload.github.com/php-memcached-dev/php-memcached/tar.gz/8f106564e6bb005ca6100b12ccc89000daafa9d8
  # tgz archive for tag v3.1.5
  install-php-extensions https://codeload.github.com/php-memcached-dev/php-memcached/tar.gz/refs/tags/v3.1.5
  # tgz archive for branch master
  install-php-extensions https://codeload.github.com/php-memcached-dev/php-memcached/tar.gz/refs/heads/master
  

• The absolute path of a local directory.
  Examples:

  # Download the source code
  curl -o /tmp/source.tgz https://codeload.github.com/php-memcached-dev/php-memcached/tar.gz/refs/tags/v3.1.5
  tar xzf /tmp/source.tgz -C /tmp
  install-php-extensions /tmp/php-memcached-3.1.5
  

Installing composer

You can also install composer, and you also can specify a major version of it, or a full version.

Examples:

# Install the latest version
install-php-extensions @composer
# Install the latest 1.x version
install-php-extensions @composer-1
# Install a specific version
install-php-extensions @composer-2.0.2

Issue with Let's Encrypt certificates

The root CA certificate of Let's Encrypt changes (more details here).
That breaks old linux distributions, namely:

• Debian Jessie (8)
• Debian Stretch (9)
• Alpine Linux 3.7
• Alpine Linux 3.8

This script can fix this issue: simply pass @fix_letsencrypt as an argument:

install-php-extensions @fix_letsencrypt

Supported PHP extensions