PHP (symfony/process) could not find Python

Question

I'm trying to run a Python script within my laravel application which processes a file and stores it in a specific directory. Laravel should use that processed file further.

When running a local Laravel server using php artisan serve and call the following php code, it's not working:

I've tested the following:

$process = new Process(['python', '--version']);
$process->run();

if(!$process->isSuccessful()) {
    throw new ProcessFailedException($process);
}

return $process->getOutput();

For an unknown reason, Laravel throws me a ProcessFailedException:

The command "python --version" failed. Exit Code: 1(General error) Working directory: D:\Path\To\Project\public Output: ================ Error Output: ================ Der Befehl "python" ist entweder falsch geschrieben oder konnte nicht gefunden werden.

which means that command "python" could not be found.

I'm using a Windows 11 machine for developing and Linux server which is used for production later. I've installed Python 3.11.4 on my Windows and when I'm typing python --version inside terminal, it shows me the correct Python version. So I guess Python is installed correctly on my local machine.

Something else that confuses me is that when I'm providing the full path of Python (installed at D:\Python\python.exe), it works: $process = new Process(['D:\Python', '--version']); // Output: Python 3.11.4

Another thing is, that running shell_exec('python --version') // Output: Python 3.11.4 (instead of using symfony/process) works as well.

It's also working on my Linux server without providing full path.

Anyone could tell me why it's not working using symfony/process? Why it's saying python coul0d not be found and everything else works?

I'm out of ideas. Thank you.