How to Find the PHP.Ini File Used by the Command Line

How can I find the php.ini file used by the command line?

Just run php --ini and look for Loaded Configuration File in the output for the location of php.ini used by your CLI.

Where can I find php.ini?

The best way to find this is:

Create a PHP (.php) file and add the following code:

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

and open it in a browser. It will show the file which is actually being read!

Updates by the OP:

1. The previously accepted answer is likely to be faster and more convenient for you, but it is not always correct. See comments on that answer.
2. Please also note the more convenient alternative <?php echo php_ini_loaded_file(); ?> mentioned in this answer.

How can I know which 'php.ini' file is used?

You can use php_ini_loaded_file().

Taken from php.net:

$inipath = php_ini_loaded_file();
if ($inipath) {
    echo 'Loaded php.ini: ' . $inipath;
} else {
    echo 'A php.ini file is not loaded';
}

You may also want to check php_ini_scanned_files().

Also, you should note that if you run a PHP script from CLI, it's possible that a different php.ini file will be used than if a server (e.g., nginx or Apache) runs it.

Other options:

• php -i|grep 'php.ini'
• create info.php that contains <?php phpinfo(); in the webroot, and run it in your browser

where can I find the php.ini for php-cli

Just ask PHP:

php -i |grep php\.ini

Where is the php.ini file on a Linux/CentOS PC?

In your terminal/console (only Linux, in windows you need Putty)

ssh user@ip
php -i | grep "Loaded Configuration File"

And it will show you something like this Loaded Configuration File => /etc/php.ini.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD

You can make a php file on your website, which run: <?php phpinfo(); ?>, and you can see the php.ini location on the line with: "Loaded Configuration File".

Update
This command gives the path right away

cli_php_ini=php -i | grep /.+/php.ini -oE  #ref. https://stackoverflow.com/a/15763333/248616
    php_ini="${cli_php_ini/cli/apache2}"   #replace cli by apache2 ref. https://stackoverflow.com/a/13210909/248616

PHP Command Line php.ini path error

Using the -c option, you can specify which php.ini file should be used :

php -c /etc/php.ini your-php-script.php

As a reference, see the output of php --help :

$ php --help
Usage: php [options] [-f] <file> [--] [args...]
       php [options] -r <code> [--] [args...]
       php [options] [-B <begin_code>] -R <code> [-E <end_code>] [--] [args...]
       php [options] [-B <begin_code>] -F <file> [-E <end_code>] [--] [args...]
       php [options] -- [args...]
       php [options] -a

  -a               Run as interactive shell
  -c <path>|<file> Look for php.ini file in this directory
  -n               No php.ini file will be used
  -d foo[=bar]     Define INI entry foo with value 'bar'
  ...

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