PHP 8.1 Feature Work Includes Adding Enums, Fsync Function

[phoronix]

Phoronix: PHP 8.1 Feature Work Includes Adding Enums, Fsync Function

While most haven't even moved to PHP 8.0 yet in their Linux distribution default packages let alone in production environments, PHP 8.1 is under development and like clockwork should be out around the end of November as usual for their yearly release dance. In two months already the PHP 8.1 alpha releases should start up...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=PHP-8.1-Features-So-Far

[uid313]

I think few new developers are going to be attracted to PHP since it is quite limited to web development. It is not much used for other domains such as command-line scripting, GUI applications, or things like automation, AI/ML, robotics, microcontrollers or things like Raspberry Pi.

That said, for existing PHP web developers I think PHP is getting better and better all the time! They are improving it and making it really good. It actually seems like a very nice language. Namespaces, autoloading, type hinting, generics, annotations, enums, etc. Lots of old legacy stuff is getting fixed and old quirks.

I used to code lots in PHP and nowadays mostly code with other stuff, but looking at the progress PHP has done, it is very appealing, it looks really nice.

[skeevy420]

My first introduction to PHP was on that show The Screen Savers. Leo Laporte wrote some web page click counter. I think I was 16 or 17.

I learned about Milkdrop, nowadays ProjectM, on that show.

[Sethox]

I'm a skeptical guy, and I mean this with all respect I can give to a project such as PHP. Though the security compromise with their git server makes me want to look in other places. The code is there in the open to read for sure and human error (mistakes happens), but such a blunder is still like a hard kick in the balls and will feel for a while.

[Vistaus]

I think few new developers are going to be attracted to PHP since it is quite limited to web development. It is not much used for other domains such as command-line scripting, GUI applications, or things like automation, AI/ML, robotics, microcontrollers or things like Raspberry Pi.

Don't let Michael hear you

[uid313]

Don't let Michael hear you

Yeah, I know Phoronix Test Suite (PTS) is an exception, perhaps the big exception. Other than that, PHP isn't used much outside of the web. Long ago PHP used to have GTK bindings. Myself have written CLI stuff in PHP, it has getopt and it is possible, it's just not popular.

[royce]

I think few new developers are going to be attracted to PHP since it is quite limited to web development. It is not much used for other domains such as command-line scripting, GUI applications, or things like automation, AI/ML, robotics, microcontrollers or things like Raspberry Pi.

There's a whole world of server software that does not fit on any of those categories that PHP is great for. For instance HTTP APIs or offline queue consumers to name just two. It's not used much these days for "web" development.

[zexelon]

I wrote my companies current flagship product some years ago in PHP... and have severely regretted that choice every day that I have to interact with it. PHP has been significantly superseded by far better, more universal languages and systems (ex. Python with Flask or Django).

Sure my code in PHP for said app is an embarrassment to humankind, but the language just amplified that!

[royce]

I wrote my companies current flagship product some years ago in PHP... and have severely regretted that choice every day that I have to interact with it. PHP has been significantly superseded by far better, more universal languages and systems (ex. Python with Flask or Django).

Sure my code in PHP for said app is an embarrassment to humankind, but the language just amplified that!

It's perfectly possible to write tidy code on any language, including PHP. If your code is shit, you only have yourself to blame.

[andreano]

It's perfectly possible to write tidy code in any language

Of course, but "tool for the job" still applies.

Is the language able to express the desired logic, without cutting corners with correctness, or does it constantly force you to make tough choices between the same unsolved dilemmas over and over again?