PHP Manual: Installation

Installation

To enable GD-support configure PHP --with-gd[=DIR], where DIR is the GD base install directory. To use the recommended bundled version of the GD library, use the configure option --with-gd. GD library requires libpng and libjpeg to compile. As of PHP 7.4.0, --with-gd becomes --enable-gd (whether to enable the extension at all) and --with-external-gd (to opt into using an external libgd, rather than the bundled one).

In Windows, you'll include the GD DLL php_gd.dll as an extension in php.ini. Prior to PHP 8.0.0, the DLL was named php_gd2.dll.

Enhance the capabilities of GD to handle more image formats by specifying the --with-XXXX configure switch to your PHP configure line.

**Supported image formats**
Image Format	Configure Switch
`avif`	To enable support for avif add --with-avif. Available as of PHP 8.1.0.
`jpeg`	To enable support for jpeg add --with-jpeg-dir=DIR. Jpeg 6b, 7 or 8 are supported. As of PHP 7.4.0, use --with-jpeg instead.
`png`	To enable support for png add --with-png-dir=DIR. Note, libpng requires the zlib library, therefore add --with-zlib-dir[=DIR] to your configure line. As of PHP 7.4.0, --with-png-dir and --with-zlib-dir have been removed. libpng and zlib are required.
`xpm`	To enable support for xpm add --with-xpm-dir=DIR. If configure is not able to find the required libraries, you may add the path to your X11 libraries. As of PHP 7.4.0, use --with-xpm instead.
`webp`	To enable support for webp add --with-webp-dir=DIR. As of PHP 7.4.0, use --with-webp instead.

Note: When compiling PHP with libpng, you must use the same version that was linked with the GD library.

Enhance the capabilities of GD to deal with different fonts by specifying the --with-XXXX configure switch to your PHP configure line.

**Supported font libraries**
Font library	Configure Switch
`FreeType 2`	To enable support for FreeType 2 add --with-freetype-dir=DIR. As of PHP 7.4.0 use --with-freetype instead, which relies on pkg-config.
`Native TrueType string function`	To enable support for native TrueType string function add --enable-gd-native-ttf. (This option has no effect and has been removed as of PHP 7.2.0.)