How to call Python file from within PHP?

December 29, 2020, by admin, category PHP

In Linux you need to do two things
1) make python file executable

sudo chmod +x testd.py

2) make sure you defined the environment where python is getting executed

#!usr/bin/<path of python env>

3) use escapeshellcommand() to include python file and shell_exec() to execute it. You can pass command line arguments also as params

In PHP use shell_exec function:

To call a Python file from within a PHP file in Linux server, using the shell_exec function.

For example

<?php
    $command = escapeshellcmd('/usr/custom/testd.py');
    $output = shell_exec($command);
    echo $output;
?>

In your script on the top, we need to specify the interpreter as well. So in py file, add the following line at the top or on First Line:

#!/usr/bin/env python

Another way you can also provide the interpreter when executing the command.

For example

<?php
    $command = escapeshellcmd('python2 /usr/custom/testd.py');
    $output = shell_exec($command);
    echo $output;
?>

Another way – Also using passthru and handling the output buffer directly:

ob_start();
passthru('/usr/bin/python2.7 /srv/http/assets/py/switch.py arg1 arg2');
$output = ob_get_clean();