How to Install the MongoDB PHP Driver (Extension) on CentOS 7

Pre-Flight Check

• These instructions are intended specifically for installing the MongoDB PHP Driver (Extension) on CentOS 7.
• I’ll be working from a Liquid Web Core Managed CentOS 7 server with HTTPD already installed, configured, and running, and I’ll be logged in as root.

Step 1: Setup Environment, Install PHP Extension & Application Repository (PEAR)

As a matter of best practice we’ll update our packages:
yum -y update
Then let’s install a compiler, the PHP Extension and Application Repository (PEAR), and PHP development tools:
yum -y install gcc php-pear php-devel

Step 2: Installation with the PHP Extension Community Library (PECL)

Now let’s install the MongoDB PHP driver (extension) with PECL:
pecl install mongo
Next you’ll be prompted regarding ‘MongoDB Enterprise Authentication’. If you’re not specifically using SASL (and already have it installed), then hit enter to continue (thus answering ‘no’):
Build with Cyrus SASL (MongoDB Enterprise Authentication) support? [no] :

Step 3:Configure PHP

For a refresher on editing files with vim see: New User Tutorial: Overview of the Vim Text Editor
vim /etc/php.ini

It is possible to place the following bit of code anywhere in the php.ini file. However, the most common location for extensions is in the Dynamic Extensions section.

Find Dynamic Extensions and insert the following in that section:
extension=mongo.so
Then exit and save the file with the command :wq .
And now we’ll restart Apache:
systemctl restart httpd

Step 4: Verify the Extension is Available

Now verify that the extension is available by using the following command:
php -m | grep -i mongo
Your result should be:
mongo