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().

    <?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 3 notes

    up
    140
    robert
    18 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."
    up
    99
    ohcc at 163 dot com
    7 years ago
    You can use variables within a pair of backticks (``).

    <?php
    $host     = 'www.wuxiancheng.cn';
    echo `    ping -n 3 {$host}`;
    ?>
    up
    0
    paolo.bertani
    1 year 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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