In the ever-evolving landscape of web development, PHP stands as a stalwart, powering a significant majority of websites. Despite assertions of its demise, PHP has not only endured but matured into a stable and reliable language, valued for its safety and robustness. While it may not experience the rapid changes characteristic of some newer languages, PHP remains actively maintained, focusing primarily on bug fixes—a testament to its readiness for production.
However, the PHP ecosystem is not stagnant. A noteworthy trend in recent times is the emergence of innovative PHP runners, designed to provide alternatives to traditional runners and PHP servers. This article sheds light on four compelling PHP runners that deserve attention.
1. FrankenPHP
FrankenPHP, a novel PHP runner, distinguishes itself by being built on top of Caddy, a web server known for its speed and efficiency. Written in Go, FrankenPHP boasts features such as compression, HTTP/2, and HTTP/3 support. Unlike conventional PHP-FPM setups, FrankenPHP may operate as a worker, presenting a fresh approach to PHP server architecture.
Available as a single binary or a virtualization image for platforms like Kubernetes and Docker, FrankenPHP is designed to seamlessly integrate into modern deployment environments. Noteworthy is its support for WebSockets through Mercure, facilitating real-time communication between the server and browsers. Additionally, it embraces performance enhancements like response code 103 (early hints), enabling the server to instruct the browser to load external assets while the response is being generated.
2. RoadRunner
A Fusion of a Seal and a Duck, Powered by Go
Sporting a logo that combines a seal and a duck, the visually intriguing RoadRunner PHP runner is, in fact, a bird. Written in Go—a departure from the more conventional choice of Rust for performant web systems—it offers versatility by running on various operating systems, including Mac OS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and ARM. A Docker image is also available, further simplifying deployment.
RoadRunner supports a range of protocols, including HTTP/2, gRPC, and Queue, making it a well-rounded solution for diverse use cases. Its adherence to standards such as PSR-7 and PCI DDS ensures a high level of security suitable for banking applications. Notably, it comes equipped with integrated metrics compatible with the Prometheus monitoring tool and a workflow engine for handling lengthy asynchronous processes. Integrations for popular PHP frameworks like Laravel and Symfony enhance its appeal.
3. Open Swoole
Open Swoole stands out in the realm of PHP runners by offering coroutines—a feature that introduces lightweight threading to PHP. Coroutines, as seen in languages like Go, provide an alternative to traditional synchronous and callback-based coding. This characteristic makes Open Swoole particularly attractive for scenarios with high concurrent requests or when leveraging asynchronous coding without incurring the overhead of process spawning.
Incorporating coroutines into your codebase allows you to enjoy the benefits of a light-threaded model, enhancing the efficiency of handling numerous requests concurrently. Open Swoole's unique approach positions it as a compelling option for developers seeking to embrace asynchronous coding patterns without sacrificing performance.
Embracing Innovation for Tomorrow
While PHP's dominance in web development persists, the emergence of these new PHP runners showcases a commitment to innovation within the PHP ecosystem. Each runner brings its own set of advantages, from performance improvements to enhanced security features. As the PHP community explores these alternatives, it becomes clear that PHP, far from being stagnant, is evolving in ways that align with the demands of modern web development.
In conclusion, these PHP runners built in Go offer a glimpse into the future of PHP server architecture, combining the reliability of PHP with the speed and efficiency of Go. Whether you're a seasoned PHP developer or exploring the language for the first time, these runners present exciting opportunities to enhance your projects and stay at the forefront of web development trends.