How to Determine if a PHP Script is Running on the Command Line or via HTTP?

Determining Script Execution Mode in PHP

Determining whether a PHP script is executed via the command-line or HTTP is crucial for various purposes, such as output formatting. Historically, checking the SERVER['argc'] variable was thought to be the canonical approach. However, this method proves unreliable when using the Apache 2.0 Handler server API as it populates SERVER['argc'] even in command-line execution.

The recommended and more robust method is to utilize the php_sapi_name() function. It returns a string indicating the type of interface between the web server and PHP. Examples include:

• "cli" for command-line execution
• "apache2handler" for Apache 2.0 Handler server API execution

Example Code:

if (php_sapi_name() == "cli") {
    // In cli-mode
} else {
    // Not in cli-mode
}

Documentation Notes:

The php_sapi_name() function documentation provides further information:

• Possible Return Values: While not exhaustive, the function may return values such as "apache," "cgi," "nsapi," and "tux," representing different server APIs.
• PHP >= 4.2.0: PHP introduced a predefined constant, PHP_SAPI, which holds the same value as php_sapi_name().

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