PHP: Execute a command in the terminal

terminal.php

<?php
/**
@author: http://www.binarytides.com/blog/40-techniques-to-enhance-your-php-code-part-3/

	Method to execute a command in the terminal
	Uses :

	1. system
	2. passthru
	3. exec
	4. shell_exec

*/
function terminal($command)
{
	//system
	if(function_exists('system'))
	{
		ob_start();
		system($command , $return_var);
		$output = ob_get_contents();
		ob_end_clean();
	}
	//passthru
	else if(function_exists('passthru'))
	{
		ob_start();
		passthru($command , $return_var);
		$output = ob_get_contents();
		ob_end_clean();
	}

	//exec
	else if(function_exists('exec'))
	{
		exec($command , $output , $return_var);
		$output = implode("\n" , $output);
	}

	//shell_exec
	else if(function_exists('shell_exec'))
	{
		$output = shell_exec($command) ;
	}

	else
	{
		$output = 'Command execution not possible on this system';
		$return_var = 1;
	}

	return array('output' => $output , 'status' => $return_var);
}

terminal('ls');
?>