Composer Platform Requirements Error: PHP Version Mismatch

Problem Overview

The "Composer detected issues in your platform" error occurs when there's a mismatch between the PHP version required by your Composer dependencies and the actual PHP version running your application. This common issue often appears after server migrations, PHP version changes, or when multiple PHP versions are installed on a system.

The error message typically looks like:

Composer detected issues in your platform: Your Composer dependencies require a PHP version ">= 7.3.0"

Even when you've verified that the correct PHP version is installed, this error can persist due to configuration issues with how PHP is loaded by your web server versus how it's accessed via the command line.

Diagnosing the Issue

Before applying solutions, accurately diagnose where the problem lies:

Check CLI PHP version

php -v

Check loaded Apache modules

apache2ctl -M | grep php

Check web server PHP version

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

WARNING

The PHP version running in your terminal (php -v) may differ from the version your web server uses. Always check both to identify discrepancies.

Solutions

1. Configure Web Server to Use Correct PHP Version

For Apache on Ubuntu/Debian systems:

# Disable current PHP module
sudo a2dismod php7.2

# Enable desired PHP module
sudo a2enmod php7.4

# Restart Apache
sudo service apache2 restart

For cPanel environments, use the "MultiPHP Manager" to select the appropriate PHP version for your domain.

2. Update Composer Configuration (Temporary Fix)

Add platform configuration to your composer.json:

{
  "config": {
    "platform-check": false,
    "platform": {
      "php": "7.3.0"
    }
  }
}

Then run:

composer dump-autoload

DANGER

This approach bypasses platform checks and should only be used as a temporary measure. It doesn't resolve the underlying version mismatch issue.

3. Ignore Platform Requirements (Development Only)

For development environments, you can temporarily ignore platform requirements:

composer install --ignore-platform-reqs
# or
composer update --ignore-platform-reqs

4. Proper PHP Version Management

Remove conflicting PHP versions and ensure only the required version is installed:

# Remove old PHP versions
sudo apt remove php7.2 php7.1

# Clean up removed packages
sudo apt autoremove

# Install required PHP version
sudo apt install php7.4

5. For Docker/Laravel Sail Users

If using Laravel Sail, access your application through the proper Sail command rather than direct IP access:

./vendor/bin/sail open

6. Update Global Composer Dependencies

After switching PHP versions, update global Composer dependencies:

composer global update

Platform-Specific Solutions

macOS with Homebrew

# Install required PHP version
brew install php@8.1

# Update PATH in your shell configuration
echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/sbin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc

# Set environment variables
export LDFLAGS="-L/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/lib"
export CPPFLAGS="-I/opt/homebrew/opt/php@8.1/include"

Windows with Laragon

1. Download the required PHP version from php.net
2. Extract to c:/laragon/bin/php/
3. Use Laragon GUI to select the new PHP version

XAMPP Issues

For XAMPP-specific problems:

1. Completely uninstall all XAMPP versions
2. Delete all XAMPP directories
3. Perform a clean installation

Best Practices

TIP

Instead of bypassing version requirements, always aim to resolve the root cause by ensuring your environment matches your application's requirements.

1. Check compatibility before upgrading or downgrading PHP versions
2. Use version managers like phpbrew for easier version switching
3. Maintain consistent environments between development and production
4. Regularly update dependencies to stay compatible with supported PHP versions

When to Downgrade Dependencies

If you cannot upgrade your PHP version, identify which packages require newer PHP versions and install compatible versions:

# Check composer.lock for package requirements
# Then install specific compatible versions
composer require package:compatible-version

Conclusion

The "Composer detected issues in your platform" error typically indicates a configuration mismatch rather than a missing PHP installation. By properly configuring your web server to use the correct PHP version and ensuring consistency between CLI and web environments, you can resolve this issue without resorting to workarounds that might hide other potential problems.

Always prioritize fixing the environment configuration over disabling platform checks, as this ensures your application runs in a supported and stable environment.