Server Paths - PHP Perl Python and More

The default path to PHP on Ultra Web Hosting servers is /usr/bin/php. But if you need a specific PHP version, or if you're looking for paths to other common binaries (Perl, Python, sendmail), this guide has them all. These paths are used in cron jobs, CGI scripts, and application configuration files.

01. PHP Paths

02. Other Common Paths

03. Finding Paths Yourself

If you need to find the path to any binary on the server, use the which command in cPanel > Terminal or via SSH:

which php
which perl
which python3
which sendmail
which mysql

For PHP specifically, you can also check the version that /usr/bin/php points to:

php -v

This shows the PHP version and build info, confirming which version runs when you use the default /usr/bin/php path.

04. Using Paths in Scripts and Cron Jobs

Cron Jobs

When setting up a cron job in cPanel, use the full path to the PHP binary:

/usr/bin/php /home/yourusername/public_html/cron-script.php

To run a cron with a specific PHP version:

/usr/bin/php8.2 /home/yourusername/public_html/cron-script.php

See our Cron Job Guide for full setup instructions.

CGI Scripts (Perl)

The first line of a Perl CGI script must be the path to Perl:

#!/usr/bin/perl
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n";
print "Hello from Perl";

Make sure the file has 755 permissions and Unix-style line endings (LF, not CRLF). CGI scripts can be placed in the cgi-bin directory or anywhere under public_html. For more on CGI, see our CGI Guide.

Perl Version and Modules

Our servers run Perl 5. To check the exact version on your server:

perl -v

A wide range of CPAN modules are pre-installed. Common modules used by web applications include DBI, CGI, LWP, Net::SMTP, MIME::Lite, and many others. You can check if a specific module is installed with:

perl -MModule::Name -e 'print "Installed\n"'

For example: perl -MDBI -e 'print "Installed\n"'. If the module is missing, you'll see an error. Open a support ticket with the module name and we can install any CPAN module as long as it does not pose a security risk.

WordPress wp-config.php

Some WordPress guides reference PHP paths for custom configurations. The paths in this article apply to all Ultra Web Hosting servers. For database connection, use localhost as the host (port 3306). See our port reference.

Quick Recap: Server Paths

The paths you'll use most often:

1. PHP: /usr/bin/php - uses your account's PHP version setting
2. Perl: /usr/bin/perl - for CGI scripts
3. Sendmail: /usr/sbin/sendmail - for PHP mail() and contact forms
4. MySQL: /usr/bin/mysql - for CLI database access
5. Use which command - to find the path to anything else

Last updated March 2026 · Browse all PHP articles · See also: Port Reference | Change PHP Version