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If Nginx downloads a .php file, it is serving that request as static content. The request has not reached PHP-FPM through FastCGI, so the browser receives the source file instead of a generated response. Fix the Nginx server block so PHP requests reach the PHP-FPM listener that is actually running, and set SCRIPT_FILENAME to the real script path.
Start by inspecting the active configuration with nginx -T. Then check the PHP location, its matching rules, the site root, the PHP-FPM socket or TCP address, and the reload status. The procedure below covers normal single-site installs, front-controller applications, PATH_INFO URLs, containers, and common permission or path errors.
What a PHP download tells you
Nginx does not execute PHP itself. It serves static files and can route application requests to a FastCGI server such as PHP-FPM. A browser download means the request was handled by a static-content location, or that the PHP location exists but is not being selected. PHP-FPM therefore never received the script.
Changing the MIME type, adding a download header, or renaming the file does not solve the underlying problem. The request must be matched by a PHP location and forwarded with fastcgi_pass. PHP-FPM then uses FastCGI parameters, especially SCRIPT_FILENAME, to locate and execute the script.
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Before changing configuration
- Identify the host name and URI that produce the download. Nginx may select a different virtual server when the
Hostheader does not match the intendedserver_name. - Find the document root containing the PHP file. The path must be the same path visible to PHP-FPM, not merely the path visible inside an Nginx container.
- Determine whether PHP-FPM listens on a Unix-domain socket or a TCP address. The configured endpoint must match the running pool exactly.
- Keep a shell session available for
nginx -t, service status checks, and log review. Do not expose diagnostic scripts or PHP source on a public site.
Use this diagnostic sequence
-
Inspect the active Nginx configuration
Run:
sudo nginx -TThis prints the configuration Nginx has loaded, including files included from directories such as
conf.dorsites-enabled. Search the output for the relevantserver_name,root, and anylocationthat handles.php. Looking only at an unused file can lead to a correct-looking edit that has no effect. -
Confirm the request reaches the intended virtual server
Check the exact host name in the browser and compare it with the active
server_name. A default server, an old site definition, or a duplicate name can receive the request first. Test a specific host when needed:Free tools Windows power users keep installed
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Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.curl -i -H 'Host: example.test' http://127.0.0.1/path/test.phpUse a non-sensitive test path. The response headers and the Nginx access log can show which server is answering.
-
Check that a PHP location exists and can be selected
A minimal PHP handler looks like this:
location ~ .php(?:/|$) { try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404; include fastcgi_params; fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name; fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock; }The regular expression matches a URI ending in
.phpand, with the(?:/|$)suffix, also supports a path-info suffix such as/index.php/articles. Replace the socket with the endpoint used by the running PHP-FPM pool. -
Check location precedence
Nginx first finds the longest prefix location, then evaluates regular-expression locations unless a
^~prefix prevents that regex search. A broad prefix such aslocation ^~ /app/can therefore bypass the PHP regex and serve the script as a static file. Another regex location can also win before the PHP rule. Inspect every location in the selected server block, not just the PHP block. -
Verify the root and script path
In the same server or location context,
rootmust point to the directory that contains the requested file. With a request for/admin/status.phpand a root of/var/www/site, the expected script path is/var/www/site/admin/status.php. The usual parameter expression is:What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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$document_roottwice. A value such as/var/www/site/var/www/site/admin/status.phpcauses PHP-FPM to report a missing script, often as “Primary script unknown” or “No input file specified.”Rank #2
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Confirm PHP-FPM is installed, running, and listening
Check the service using the service manager provided by your operating system, then inspect the pool configuration for its
listenvalue. Typical deployments use a versioned socket such as/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock; a containerized deployment may usephp-fpm:9000. A socket mismatch produces an upstream connection error. It cannot execute the script until Nginx points to the listener that actually exists.For a Unix socket, verify that the Nginx worker user can connect to the socket. The socket’s owner, group, and mode are controlled by PHP-FPM pool settings. For TCP, verify that the address is reachable from the Nginx host or container and that the pool is bound to that address.
-
Validate and reload
Run:
sudo nginx -t sudo nginx -s reloadOnly reload after the syntax check succeeds. Nginx keeps the previous working configuration when a test fails, so an edit that was never successfully loaded cannot change the response. A platform service command such as
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Test safely, then remove diagnostics
Create a temporary script in the document root:
<?php header('Content-Type: text/plain'); echo "PHP handler reachedn";Request it from a protected environment and remove it immediately. A full
phpinfo()page reveals paths, modules, and environment details; never leave one publicly accessible. -
Read both logs
Review the Nginx error log and the PHP-FPM log at the time of a single test request. Messages about a failed upstream connection indicate an endpoint or service problem. “Primary script unknown,” “No input file specified,” or a 404 from PHP-FPM points to a root, filename, chroot, or
try_filesproblem. Permission-denied messages usually identify the socket, directory traversal, or script-read permissions that must be corrected.
A complete, conservative server-block pattern
The following pattern serves a site from /var/www/site/public, rejects nonexistent PHP paths before forwarding them, and sends scripts to a Unix socket. Adapt the root, socket, index list, and non-PHP locations to your deployment:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.test;
root /var/www/site/public;
index index.php index.html;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}
location ~ .php(?:/|$) {
try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
}
location ~ /.ht {
deny all;
}
}The location / rule first serves an existing file or directory. If neither exists, it internally redirects to /index.php while preserving the query string. The PHP rule then handles that internal URI. The separate denial rule prevents common per-directory configuration files from being served.
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Understand each FastCGI directive
include fastcgi_params
This imports the standard request parameters supplied by the Nginx installation. They include values such as the request method, query string, content length, and URI. Distribution packages may provide a file with a slightly different name or contents, so inspect the included file when debugging.
fastcgi_pass
This is the hand-off to PHP-FPM. Nginx accepts either a Unix socket, for example unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock, or a TCP endpoint, for example 127.0.0.1:9000 or php-fpm:9000 in a container network. The value is not interchangeable: use the address shown by the active PHP-FPM pool and make sure Nginx can reach it.
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME
PHP-FPM needs the filesystem path of the script, not just the URL. The common expression joins the active root and the FastCGI script name:
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;For a request such as /index.php, $fastcgi_script_name is /index.php. If the root is /var/www/site/public, PHP-FPM receives /var/www/site/public/index.php. If the root differs between Nginx and PHP-FPM, the same expression still produces a path PHP-FPM cannot read; align the filesystem view or use the path mapping required by the deployment.
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This checks that the requested script exists before Nginx forwards it. A nonexistent URI receives a 404 instead of being passed to PHP-FPM, which reduces confusing upstream errors and prevents arbitrary path suffixes from being treated as scripts. Place the check inside the PHP location so it uses the location’s root and script name.
Unix socket or TCP: choose the listener that exists
| Endpoint | Example | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Unix-domain socket | unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock |
The socket path exists, PHP-FPM is listening there, and the Nginx worker has permission to connect. |
| TCP listener | 127.0.0.1:9000 |
PHP-FPM is bound to that address and port, and local firewall or service policy permits the connection. |
| Container service name | php-fpm:9000 |
Both containers share a network, DNS resolves the service name, and the PHP-FPM process listens on the container interface. |
A Unix socket is local to the filesystem namespace where PHP-FPM creates it. If Nginx and PHP-FPM run in separate containers, a host socket path generally is not shared unless a volume is mounted into both containers. In that arrangement, a TCP service name is normally the appropriate target. Conversely, a host installation may expose only a versioned Unix socket and no TCP listener.
Fix root and path mapping errors
Single-site document root
Keep one authoritative root in the server block when possible:
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root /srv/www/example/public;With that root, /login.php maps to /srv/www/example/public/login.php. Avoid placing a second, different root inside the PHP location unless you deliberately need a separate mapping. A nested root changes $document_root and can make the same URL map to a different file.
Container or chroot mapping
Nginx and PHP-FPM may see different absolute paths. For example, Nginx could see /var/www/public/index.php while a PHP-FPM container mounts that directory as /app/public. In that case, concatenating Nginx’s $document_root produces a path that does not exist inside PHP-FPM. Mount the files at the same path in both services, or configure an explicit path mapping consistent with the PHP-FPM pool’s chroot and working directory. The logs from PHP-FPM reveal which path it attempted to open.
Do not duplicate the root
These two forms are not equivalent:
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$document_root$fastcgi_script_name;The second duplicates the root and is wrong for a normal installation. Likewise, hard-coding /var/www/site while the active server block uses /var/www/site/public points PHP-FPM at the wrong directory.
Front controllers and internal redirects
Framework applications often expose one public entry point, commonly index.php. A request for /products/42 may not correspond to a physical file. The try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string; rule internally redirects that request to the front controller, where the PHP location executes it. This explains why the home page can work while a direct .php URL downloads: the front-controller URI may be handled by the PHP rule, while the direct URI is captured by a static or higher-priority location.
Do not remove the PHP location merely because the front controller works. Direct scripts, administrative tools, health checks, and internal redirects all still require a valid FastCGI handler. Conversely, do not forward every URI to PHP without an existence check unless the application deliberately needs that behavior; permissive forwarding can turn malformed paths into confusing PHP errors.
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PATH_INFO URLs such as file.php/articles/1
When an application uses PATH_INFO, the script name and extra path must be separated. For /file.php/articles/1, PHP-FPM should receive /file.php as the script and /articles/1 as PATH_INFO. If $fastcgi_script_name includes the entire suffix, SCRIPT_FILENAME points to a nonexistent filename.
Use a location and parameter split that matches the FastCGI reference for your Nginx version and application. Test both the plain script URL and the PATH_INFO form after changing it. Keep try_files focused on the actual script portion so a valid script is not rejected merely because it has an informational path suffix.
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Why common quick fixes fail
- Adding a MIME type: MIME settings change the response type, not execution. Nginx still serves the PHP bytes unless a FastCGI hand-off occurs.
- Installing PHP CLI only: The command-line interpreter does not provide a network or socket listener for Nginx. PHP-FPM and an active pool are required.
- Copying a socket path from another server: Socket names commonly include the installed PHP version and distribution-specific directory. Confirm the path on this host.
- Editing an inactive file: Nginx may be loading a different server block or an included file. Use
nginx -Tto find the effective configuration. - Reloading without testing: A syntax error prevents the new configuration from loading, leaving the old behavior in place.
- Removing
try_filesto hide 404s: This can pass invalid paths to PHP-FPM and obscure the real root or URI problem. - Changing permissions broadly: Making the whole web tree world-writable is unsafe. Correct the socket group, directory traversal permissions, and script ownership specifically.
Interpret the symptom and log message
| Symptom | Likely cause | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Browser downloads PHP source | Static location selected; PHP regex bypassed or absent. | Inspect location precedence and the active server block with nginx -T. |
| 502 Bad Gateway | Nginx cannot connect to PHP-FPM. | Check the service, socket or TCP listener, and socket permissions. |
| 404 from Nginx before PHP | try_files cannot find the script under the active root. |
Verify the URL, root, and file existence. |
| “Primary script unknown” | PHP-FPM received a path that does not exist in its filesystem view. | Compare SCRIPT_FILENAME, mounts, chroot settings, and the actual file path. |
| “No input file specified” | Wrong or duplicated root, incorrect script name, or a missing file. | Log the resolved path and correct the root-to-script mapping. |
| Only URLs with a suffix fail | PATH_INFO is being included in the script filename. | Split the script portion from PATH_INFO before forwarding. |
Secure the PHP-FPM boundary
PHP-FPM must not be reachable from an untrusted network. Prefer a Unix socket for a same-host deployment, or bind TCP to a private interface and restrict access with network policy when separate hosts or containers require it. Do not expose port 9000 directly to the internet.
Limit executable files where practical. Keep application secrets and configuration outside the public document root, deny hidden configuration files, and remove temporary diagnostic scripts. A correct FastCGI configuration should execute intended scripts without turning arbitrary uploaded files or path fragments into executable code.
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nginx -Tshows the intendedserver_name, root, and PHP location.- The test URI is matched by the PHP location rather than a
^~or competing regex location. - The root contains the requested script, and PHP-FPM can see that same path.
SCRIPT_FILENAMEis exactly the root plus the script name, with no duplicated prefix.try_files $fastcgi_script_name =404;rejects nonexistent scripts.fastcgi_passnames the active Unix socket or reachable TCP listener.- The Nginx worker can access the socket and traverse each parent directory.
sudo nginx -tsucceeds, followed by a reload.- A protected test script returns generated output, not source code, and is then deleted.
- Nginx and PHP-FPM logs are clean for the test request.
When to use a different configuration pattern
Direct script execution
Use the minimal PHP location when individual scripts are legitimate public endpoints. Keep the existence check enabled and restrict sensitive directories.
Front-controller routing
Use a root try_files rule that falls back to the framework’s entry script. This keeps pretty URLs working while still sending the entry script through FastCGI.
Containerized deployment
Use a service name and TCP port when Nginx and PHP-FPM are separate containers, and ensure both services mount application files at compatible paths. A host socket path that exists outside the container is not usable inside it.
Chrooted or multi-site PHP-FPM pools
Confirm the pool’s chroot, user, and group before choosing SCRIPT_FILENAME. Each pool may require a different filesystem path even when Nginx serves several sites from one host.
Final validation
After the change, request a harmless PHP endpoint twice: once by its direct .php URL and once through the application’s normal route. Confirm that the response is generated, query strings arrive intact, nonexistent scripts return 404, and logs show no upstream or path errors. Remove the test endpoint and retain the configuration only after both routing paths behave as intended.
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