phalcon/cphalcon
Cphalcon
Phalcon is a full-stack PHP web framework implemented as a compiled C extension that loads directly into the PHP interpreter. Rather than executing PHP scripts at runtime, the framework runs as a native C module, bundling routing, ORM, templating, and caching into immutable structures compiled at build time. This architecture hooks directly into PHP's internal Zend Engine API to bypass userland function call overhead, processes HTTP requests through a C-level event pipeline, and passes data between layers using pointer references instead of duplicating memory buffers.
The framework manages object lifecycles and memory directly in C to minimize allocation overhead and garbage collection pauses, while resolving and caching class definitions during extension compilation rather than at each request. Configuration and routing tables are compiled into static C structures for instant access, and the entire request pipeline operates through C-level event handlers without intermediate PHP function calls.
Phalcon provides the capabilities needed to build complete web applications with low resource usage. The extension can be installed through multiple methods including PECL, Linux package managers, Homebrew, MacPorts, PHPBrew, PIE, shared hosting control panels, or by compiling from source, with options to tune the build for the specific processor.
Features
- Full-Stack Frameworks - The core identity of the repository: a full-stack PHP framework implemented as a compiled C extension.
- PHP C-Extension Frameworks - Provides a full-stack PHP web framework implemented as a compiled C extension for maximum performance.
- HTTP Request Processing Frameworks - Passes HTTP request data between layers using pointer references instead of duplicating memory buffers.
- PHP Extension Memory Managers - Manages object lifecycles and data structures directly in C to minimize allocation overhead and garbage collection pauses.
- PHP Engine Integrations - Hooks directly into PHP's internal Zend Engine API to bypass userland function call overhead.
- Compile-Time Class Resolutions - Resolves and caches class definitions during extension compilation to eliminate runtime overhead.
- C-Extension Frameworks - Runs as a compiled C extension for reduced overhead and faster execution in full-stack web applications.
- PHP Zend Engine Hooks - Hooks directly into PHP's internal Zend Engine API to bypass userland function call overhead.
- C-Level HTTP Request Pipelines - Processes HTTP requests through a C-level event pipeline without intermediate PHP function calls.
- C-Level Event Pipeline Implementations - Processes HTTP requests through a C-level event pipeline without intermediate PHP function calls.
- C++ Web Frameworks - Runs a complete web framework as a compiled C module loaded directly into the PHP interpreter.
- PHP Engine Integration Frameworks - Hooks directly into PHP's Zend Engine API to bypass userland overhead and improve execution speed.
- Full-Stack Web Frameworks - Provides routing, ORM, templating, and caching in a single C-extension package.
- Compiled Configuration Structures - Bundles configuration and routing tables into immutable C structures at build time for instant access.
- Compiled Frameworks - Bundles routing, ORM, and templating into immutable C structures at build time for instant access.
- HTTP Request Zero-Copy Passings - Passes HTTP request data between framework layers using pointer references instead of duplicating memory buffers.
