get_client_version

The mysqli_get_client_version() function returns the version of the MySQL client library that your PHP installation was built against, encoded as a single integer. This page explains what that integer means, how to decode it into a readable version string, and when this value is worth checking.

What the function does

mysqli_get_client_version() is a built-in MySQLi function. It reports the version of the client library (such as mysqlnd or libmysqlclient) that PHP uses to talk to a MySQL server — not the version of the MySQL server itself, and not your PHP version.

Two things make it convenient:

• It takes no arguments and requires no open connection. You can call it before connecting to any database, which is handy in startup checks or environment diagnostics.
• It returns an integer, so the value is easy to compare numerically (for example, "is the client at least version 8.0?").

To inspect the server version instead, use the connection-based companion functions linked at the bottom of this page.

Syntax

mysqli_get_client_version(): int

There is also an object-style equivalent on the mysqli class:

$mysqli->client_version; // property, not a method call

Reading the integer

The integer is not a plain version number — it packs the major, minor, and sub-version into one value with this formula:

main_version * 10000 + minor_version * 100 + sub_version

So a client library at version 8.0.3 is reported as 80003, and 8.3.0 is reported as 80300. The next section shows how to turn the raw integer back into a readable string.

Basic example

The simplest use prints the raw integer:

<?php
$client_version = mysqli_get_client_version();

printf("MySQL client library version number: %d\n", $client_version);
?>

For a client library version of 8.3.0, this prints:

MySQL client library version number: 80300

Decoding into a readable version

Because the raw integer is rarely useful on its own, decode it with simple integer math:

<?php
$version = mysqli_get_client_version();

$major = (int) ($version / 10000);
$minor = (int) ($version % 10000 / 100);
$sub   = $version % 100;

printf("Client library version: %d.%d.%d\n", $major, $minor, $sub);
?>

For a raw value of 80300, this outputs:

Client library version: 8.3.0

When to use it

• Startup diagnostics: log the client library version so support tickets include it without an extra round-trip to the server.
• Feature gating: a few MySQLi features depend on the client library, so you can numerically compare the integer before relying on them.
• Build verification: confirm that a deployed image was compiled against the client library you expect (e.g. mysqlnd rather than a system libmysqlclient).

Common gotchas

• It is not the server version. A modern client library can talk to an older server and vice versa; never infer server capabilities from this value.
• Compare integers, not strings. Because the format is fixed-width-ish but not zero-padded for display, compare the raw integers ($version >= 80000) rather than parsing the decoded string.
• Procedural vs. object style. mysqli_get_client_version() is a function; the object form is the $mysqli->client_version property, with no parentheses.

Conclusion

mysqli_get_client_version() gives you the MySQL client library version as a single encoded integer, with no connection required. Decode it with the major * 10000 + minor * 100 + sub formula when you need a readable string, and remember it describes the client library — not the database server.

Related functions

• mysqli_get_client_info() — the client library version as a readable string.
• mysqli_get_server_version() — the server version (connection required).
• mysqli_get_server_info() — the server version as a string.
• mysqli_get_host_info() — the connection type and host details.

Practice