PHP 8.4.6 Released!

    Execution Operators

    PHP supports one execution operator: backticks (``). Note that these are not single-quotes! PHP will attempt to execute the contents of the backticks as a shell command; the output will be returned (i.e., it won't simply be dumped to output; it can be assigned to a variable). Use of the backtick operator is identical to shell_exec().

    Example #1 Backtick Operator

    <?php
    $output     = `ls -al`;
    echo     "<pre>$output</pre>";
    ?>

    Note:

    The backtick operator is disabled when shell_exec() is disabled.

    Note:

    Unlike some other languages, backticks have no special meaning within double-quoted strings.

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    User Contributed Notes

    robert
    19 years ago
    Just a general usage note. I had a very difficult time solving a problem with my script, when I accidentally put one of these backticks at the beginning of a line, like so:

    [lots of code]
    ` $URL = "blah...";
    [more code]

    Since the backtick is right above the tab key, I probably just fat-fingered it while indenting the code.

    What made this so hard to find, was that PHP reported a parse error about 50 or so lines *below* the line containing the backtick. (There were no other backticks anywhere in my code.) And the error message was rather cryptic:

    Parse error: parse error, expecting `T_STRING' or `T_VARIABLE' or `T_NUM_STRING' in /blah.php on line 446

    Just something to file away in case you're pulling your hair out trying to find an error that "isn't there."
    ohcc at 163 dot com
    8 years ago
    You can use variables within a pair of backticks (``).

    <?php
    $host     = 'www.wuxiancheng.cn';
    echo `    ping -n 3 {$host}`;
    ?>
    paolo.bertani
    2 years ago
    If you want to avoid situations like the one described by @robert you may want to disable `shell_exec` and -as a consequence- the backtick operator.

    To do this just edit the `php.ini` file and add `shell_exec` to the `disable_functions` setting:

    ; This directive allows you to disable certain functions.
    ; It receives a comma-delimited list of function names.
    ; https://php.net/disable-functions
    disable_functions = "shell_exec"

    Then you can still use `exec()` to run terminal commands.
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