PHP7 – shorter loading and access time online

Shortly after the security support for PHP 7.0 expires, so does the official support for the popular PHP 5.6 in December 2018. This signifies that the new version of the scripting language is on its way. Two years after the first release, PHP7 is finally arriving on the internet.

PHP is a scripting language used for drafting dynamic websites. The language is shared under the PHP license, which allows users to continue using and changing source code free of charge. Basic PHP functions include reading form data and converting it into PHP variables. These variables can be entered into a database or sent via e-mail. PHP is able to support a wide range of database models as well as being able to integrate common web technologies. In addition, it is used by approximately 82% of all websites, adding strong, and expert-level community support to its list of advantages. 

Since PHP6 was never fully developed, PHP7’s release signaled the end of PHP5 and simultaneously rung in the sixth installment of the programming language. The scripting language itself changed little with the release, which is why PHP7 largely remains downwardly compatible. This feature allows almost all applications, even those designed for previous versions, to run on PHP7. Compatibility issues may still arise when dealing with older extensions that no longer receive regular updates. The best example for this is the old extension for accessing MySQL databases that is no longer supported in version 7. Switching to the better MySQLi extension or the comparable PDO (PHP Data Objects), is therefore recommended in such cases.

Perhaps the most attractive new feature of PHP7 is its performance boost, which enables developers to better optimize the core of PHP. In addition to the improved speed (PHP7 is about twice as fast as its predecessor), the new version also takes up less working memory. Not only has the execution of the compiled bytecode been completely renovated, but other core components have also seen fundamental changes, including the parser, lexer, and bytecode generator. Instead of drafting code directly out of the parser, PHP7 creates an abstract syntax tree that establishes the basis for generating bytecode commands.

Another feature is that users are now able to define scalar data types - data types that only store one single value – and return types in the program code. In this way, PHP is extended by the integer, Boolean, float, and string types.

The eCommerce software Magento can be executed at twice the speed of PHP5.6, thereby reducing memory use by around 30%. Additionally, PHP7 can handle up to three times as many hits from visitors than the preceding version. Results from tests with CMSs (content management systems) fare similarly: Drupal 8 increases its speed by 72%, and WordPress tests have shown to require only a quarter of the CPU instruction required for a hit. Both CMS systems showed an increase of around 50% in terms of possible page views. The frameworks Laravel, Zend, as well as the CRM software, SugarCRM, allow PHP7 to double the amount of hits per second.

In comparison to earlier versions, PHP7 is able to cope with much higher rates of traffic. This means equipping your setup with robust hardware in order to deal with more visitors may not be necessary. The new PHP7 performance fulfills the demands required for running WordPress, Magento, or similar projects without generating additional costs.

Details on the benchmark data from Zend Technologies are available in this infographic.