How to Fix Laravel: PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘?’

Laravel: PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘?’ in /vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Foundation/helpers.php on line 500 error occurs when you are using an older version of PHP.

The main reason for the error is that the “?” character is used in PHP for null coalescing (??), and it is a part of nullable type hints. Both features were introduced in PHP 7. So, if you use a PHP version below 7, you may face this error.

How to fix the error?

To fix the Laravel: PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘?’ error, update your PHP version to make it compatible with the current Laravel version.

You can check your PHP version by running the command:

php -v

If you still face the error, then there might be a possibility that the vendor files got corrupted or modified.

You should avoid editing vendor files directly.

If you think this might be the case, consider re-installing the Laravel framework or the specific package causing the issue.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.