# php/php-src

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39,945 stars · 8,005 forks · C · other

## Links

- GitHub: https://github.com/php/php-src
- Homepage: https://www.php.net
- awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/php-php-src.md

## Description

This project is the core source code for a general-purpose, server-side scripting language designed for web development. It provides a high-performance execution engine that parses and runs scripts to generate dynamic content, supported by a comprehensive standard library for data manipulation, networking, and system interaction. The repository serves as an open-source development platform where the language runtime and its interpreter are built, maintained, and evolved through community-driven governance.

The runtime is powered by a stack-based virtual machine that executes compiled bytecode, utilizing abstract syntax tree parsing and reference counting for memory management. It distinguishes itself through a decoupled interface layer that enables interaction with various web servers and command-line environments, alongside a modular C-based extension API. This architecture allows developers to create and compile native modules to add specialized functionality or performance optimizations directly to the core environment.

The project maintains a platform abstraction layer to ensure consistent behavior across diverse operating systems and hardware architectures. It supports a structured lifecycle for language evolution, including formal proposal tracking, community discussion, and voting processes. Users can deploy the runtime via pre-built binaries, package managers, or by compiling the source code directly using standard development tools.

## Tags

### Programming Languages & Runtimes

- [Execution Engines](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/execution-engines.md) — A high-performance interpreter that parses and executes source code instructions to manage memory and process data for applications.
- [Language Runtimes](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/language-runtimes.md) — Build the scripting language from source code by configuring build options and compiling the interpreter on various operating systems using standard development tools. ([source](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/php/php-src@master/README.md))
- [Runtime Development Environments](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/runtime-development-environments.md) — Building and maintaining the core interpreter and standard library to support the evolution of a widely used programming language.
- [Scripting Languages](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/scripting-languages.md) — A general-purpose programming language designed for web development that executes on the server to generate dynamic content.
- [Standard Libraries](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/standard-libraries.md) — A comprehensive set of built-in functions and modules that provide essential tools for data manipulation, networking, and system interaction.
- [Virtual Machines](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/virtual-machines.md) — A stack-based virtual machine that executes compiled bytecode instructions to manage memory and process script logic efficiently.
- [Installation Utilities](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/installation-utilities.md) — Install the language runtime on various operating systems, web servers, and cloud platforms using pre-built binaries, package managers, or source code compilation. ([source](https://www.php.net/install))
- [Language Extension Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/language-extension-systems.md) — Extend core language functionality by integrating bundled extensions or installing additional modules from the community library to support specific features and requirements. ([source](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/php/php-src@master/README.md))
- [Memory Management Strategies](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/memory-management-strategies.md) — A garbage collection strategy that tracks object usage to automatically reclaim memory when variables go out of scope.
- [Parser Generators](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/parser-generators.md) — The source code is transformed into a hierarchical tree structure to facilitate semantic analysis and subsequent bytecode generation.
- [Native Extension Interfaces](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/native-extension-interfaces.md) — A modular interface allowing developers to write performance-critical code in C that integrates directly into the core runtime.
- [Extension Build Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/extension-build-systems.md) — Compile custom or third-party extensions by placing source code in the build directory, configuring the build environment, and running the standard build process. ([source](https://wiki.php.net/internals/windows/stepbystepbuild_sdk_2))
- [Binary Distributions](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/binary-distributions.md) — Download pre-compiled Windows binaries for various architectures and thread-safety configurations to run the language runtime on local development or production server environments. ([source](https://windows.php.net/))
- [Server Interface Layers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/server-interface-layers.md) — A decoupled communication layer that allows the language engine to interact with various web servers and command-line environments.
- [Windows Binary Distributions](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/windows-binary-distributions.md) — Download pre-compiled Windows binaries, debug packs, and development kits for testing upcoming language releases across different thread-safety configurations and hardware architectures. ([source](https://qa.php.net/))
- [Windows Compilation Tooling](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/windows-compilation-tooling.md) — Compile language source code on Windows using supported compilers and the required development kits to generate production-quality binaries for specific versions. ([source](https://wiki.php.net/internals/windows/stepbystepbuild_sdk_2))

### Development Tools & Productivity

- [Development Platforms](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/development-platforms.md) — A collaborative environment for building and maintaining a core programming language through community contributions and structured governance processes.

### Software Engineering & Architecture

- [Proposal Lifecycle Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/proposal-lifecycle-management.md) — Propose and track language changes through a structured lifecycle, including drafting, community discussion, voting, and implementation phases for new features or policy updates. ([source](https://wiki.php.net/rfc))
- [Governance Models](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/governance-models.md) — Managing the lifecycle of language proposals through community discussion, formal voting processes, and collaborative code contribution workflows.
- [Governance Voting Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/governance-voting-systems.md) — Initiate a formal vote on a language proposal by announcing the voting period and link on the mailing list after the required discussion time has elapsed. ([source](https://wiki.php.net/rfc/voting))
- [Release Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/release-management.md) — Apply bug fixes to the lowest applicable branch and merge changes upwards through subsequent release branches to ensure consistency across the repository. ([source](https://wiki.php.net/vcs/gitworkflow))

### Education & Learning Resources

- [Technical Documentation](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/education-learning-resources/technical-documentation.md) — Access the official language reference manual in multiple languages, including options for online viewing, downloadable formats, and historical versions of the documentation. ([source](https://www.php.net/docs))

### Web Development

- [Server-Side Scripting Engines](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/server-side-scripting-engines.md) — Running dynamic web applications and backend services by processing scripts on a server to generate content for web browsers.

### Operating Systems & Systems Programming

- [Platform Abstraction Layers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/platform-abstraction-layers.md) — A set of internal wrappers that normalize system-level calls to ensure consistent behavior across different operating systems and hardware.