github.com/php/php-src ↗

About php/php-src

This is the official source code repository for PHP, a widely-used general-purpose scripting language designed with web development as a primary focus. The interpreter is written in C and powers countless applications ranging from individual blogs to some of the world's largest websites. PHP is distributed under the Modified BSD License and emphasizes being fast, flexible, and pragmatic for developers.

The repository provides everything needed to build PHP from source on multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS, with detailed instructions for installing required dependencies like autoconf, bison, and re2c. The build process is straightforward and supports parallel compilation through the make system. After successful compilation, the extensive built-in test suite can be run to verify the build quality, with support for parallel test execution across multiple cores.

PHP's functionality is extended through a system of bundled and optional extensions that add capabilities beyond the core interpreter. The project welcomes community contributions through pull requests, though new features require an RFC (Request for Comments) process and developer approval, while bug fixes can be submitted more directly. Comprehensive documentation and contribution guidelines are available within the repository, and discussion happens both on GitHub and through the official PHP developer mailing list.