localhost - PHP code is returned instead of executed

I have L-Ubuntu 11.04. I've installed Apache2 and I'm trying to simulate a server on my local file system by navigating to localhost in the browser.

The problem is that I can't seem to get php to execute when on localhost. The PHP code is simply printed in the browser (instead of being executed and the result being printed).

• libapache2-mod-php5 is installed and the latest version.


• The Apache module php5 is enabled.

How can I get PHP to run on localhost?

Answer

The configuration file /etc/apache2/mods-available/php5.conf controls which files Apache recognizes as php scripts (based on their extensions).

Be default (in PHP 5.3.2), the file contains the following code:

    SetHandler application/x-httpd-php

This affects files with the following extensions:

• .php


• .php3


• .phtml

From our discussion in chat, I know that your files have a html extension. The server was configured to treat .html files as php files, but your home computer is not. That leaves you with two options:

1. 
   

   Rename your .html files that contain php code to one of the above extensions.

   
   


2. 
   

   Replace the line

   
   
   
   

   in your php5.conf by

   
   
   
   

   and reload apache by executing the following command:

   
   

   sudo service apache2 reload
   

   
   

   In addition to the previously mentioned extensions, the new configuration also affects:

   
   
   
   
   • .htm
   
   
   • .html