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<Predefined ConstantsSocket Errors>
^SocketsLast updated: Mon, 26 Oct 2026

Examples

Example #1 Socket example: Simple TCP/IP server

This example shows a simple talkback server. Change the address and port variables to suit your setup and execute. You may then connect to the server with a command similar to: telnet 192.168.1.53 10000 (where the address and port match your setup). Anything you type will then be output on the server side, and echoed back to you. To disconnect, enter 'quit'.

#!/usr/local/bin/php -q
<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);

/* Allow the script to hang around waiting for connections. */
set_time_limit(0);

/* Turn on implicit output flushing so we see what we're getting
 * as it comes in. */
ob_implicit_flush();

$address = '192.168.1.53';
$port = 10000;

if (($sock = socket_create(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, SOL_TCP)) === false) {
    echo "socket_create() failed: reason: " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error()) . "\n";
}

if (socket_bind($sock, $address, $port) === false) {
    echo "socket_bind() failed: reason: " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error($sock)) . "\n";
}

if (socket_listen($sock, 5) === false) {
    echo "socket_listen() failed: reason: " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error($sock)) . "\n";
}

do {
    if (($msgsock = socket_accept($sock)) === false) {
        echo "socket_accept() failed: reason: " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error()) . "\n";
        break;
    }
    /* Send instructions. */
    $msg = "\nWelcome to the PHP Test Server. \n" .
        "To quit, type 'quit'. To shut down the server type 'shutdown'.\n";
    socket_write($msgsock, $msg, strlen($msg));

    do {
        if (false === ($buf = socket_read($msgsock, 2048, PHP_NORMAL_READ))) {
            echo "socket_read() failed: reason: " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error($msgsock)) . "\n";
            break 2;
        }
        if (!$buf = trim($buf)) {
            continue;
        }
        if ($buf == 'quit') {
            break;
        }
        if ($buf == 'shutdown') {
            socket_close($msgsock);
            break 2;
        }
        $talkback = "PHP: You said '$buf'.\n";
        socket_write($msgsock, $talkback, strlen($talkback));
        echo "$buf\n";
    } while (true);
    socket_close($msgsock);
} while (true);

socket_close($sock);
?>

Example #2 Socket example: Simple TCP/IP client

This example shows a simple, one-shot HTTP client. It simply connects to a page, submits a HEAD request, echoes the reply, and exits.

<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);

echo "<h2>TCP/IP Connection</h2>\n";

/* Get the port for the WWW service. */
$service_port = getservbyname('www', 'tcp');

/* Get the IP address for the target host. */
$address = gethostbyname('www.example.com');

/* Create a TCP/IP socket. */
$socket = socket_create(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, SOL_TCP);
if ($socket === false) {
    echo "socket_create() failed: reason: " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error()) . "\n";
} else {
    echo "OK.\n";
}

echo "Attempting to connect to '$address' on port '$service_port'...";
$result = socket_connect($socket, $address, $service_port);
if ($result === false) {
    echo "socket_connect() failed.\nReason: ($result) " . socket_strerror(socket_last_error($socket)) . "\n";
} else {
    echo "OK.\n";
}

$in = "HEAD / HTTP/1.1\r\n";
$in .= "Host: www.example.com\r\n";
$in .= "Connection: Close\r\n\r\n";
$out = '';

echo "Sending HTTP HEAD request...";
socket_write($socket, $in, strlen($in));
echo "OK.\n";

echo "Reading response:\n\n";
while ($out = socket_read($socket, 2048)) {
    echo $out;
}

echo "Closing socket...";
socket_close($socket);
echo "OK.\n\n";
?>


<Predefined ConstantsSocket Errors>
^SocketsLast updated: Mon, 26 Oct 2026