PHP 8

PHP 8 is a major version of the PHP scripting language. It was released on November 26, 2020. It followed PHP 7.4 and introduced several new features. Many of these focused on improving performance, safety, and the clarity of code. PHP 8 kept the core of the language familiar but brought in useful additions that allowed developers to write more readable and reliable programs.

The release of PHP 8 marked another big shift in how PHP works under the hood. It added a just-in-time compiler and several new tools for writing modern web applications. These features pushed PHP beyond its traditional use as a simple scripting language and helped it compete with other programming languages used for backend development.

History and Development

The release of PHP 7.0 in 2015 marked a turning point for the language. It delivered major speed improvements and set the stage for rapid evolution.

Key developments from PHP 7.0 to PHP 8:

• PHP 7.0 (2015) introduced significant performance gains and improved memory usage
• Versions 7.1 to 7.4 added incremental features, including:
  • Better type safety
  • Performance enhancements
  • More consistent behavior
• By 2020, developers were requesting deeper changes that required updates to the language core
• PHP 8 development focused on modernizing the runtime and improving expressiveness
• A just-in-time (JIT) compiler was introduced to boost execution speed
• New syntax features were added to reduce code noise and improve clarity
• The PHP RFC (Request for Comments) process allowed the community to propose, discuss, and vote on features
• Most changes were adopted after thorough debate and collaboration
• The goal was to support large projects and modern frameworks with greater efficiency

The result was a stable, faster, and more capable language that better serves today’s web development needs.

PHP 8 vs. PHP 7

PHP 8 builds on PHP 7. Most PHP 7 code runs on PHP 8 without change. However, some older functions and behaviors were removed. Developers upgrading to PHP 8 often need to test their code for deprecations and errors, especially if it relies on features removed in this version.

• Performance - The most talked-about feature of PHP 8 is the just-in-time compiler, or JIT. This compiler translates parts of the PHP code into machine code at runtime. That can make some types of programs run faster. For web applications, the speed improvement is smaller than the jump from PHP 5 to PHP 7, but it still helps in many cases. Tasks that use heavy math or loops see the biggest gains.
• Union Types - PHP 8 allows functions to accept more than one type for a single parameter or return value. This is done using union types. For example, a function can now accept either an int or a string without needing extra checks. PHP 7 did not support this and required workarounds or vague documentation.
• Named Arguments - Functions can now receive arguments by name instead of just order. This helps make calls easier to read, especially when many optional values are used. It also allows skipping values that are not needed. This was not possible in PHP 7.
• Attributes - PHP 8 introduced native attributes. These let developers add metadata to classes, functions, and other parts of the code. Attributes replace many uses of PHPDoc comments. They give tools and frameworks a better way to read code structure. PHP 7 used only comments and required parsing them manually.
• Match Expressions - PHP 8 added match expressions. They work like switch statements but are shorter and safer. They return values directly and support strict type checking. This reduces logic bugs and makes code easier to follow. PHP 7 did not support this kind of structure.
• Constructor Property Promotion - This feature lets developers declare and assign class properties in one line inside a constructor. It makes the class code shorter and removes the need to write the same thing multiple times. PHP 7 required separate declarations and assignments.
• Nullsafe Operator - PHP 8 added the nullsafe operator ?->. This helps when working with chains of objects that may return null. Before, developers had to write many checks. Now they can write shorter expressions that stop if any part is null. PHP 7 did not include this feature.
• Static Return Type - Functions can now use static as a return type. This helps when returning the current class instance in inheritance chains. It improves accuracy and makes object design easier. PHP 7 lacked this return type.
• Weak Maps - PHP 8 added weak maps. These hold references to objects but do not stop them from being removed when no longer needed. They help manage memory better in some situations. PHP 7 did not have this feature and required extra code to manage such memory cases.
• New String Functions - PHP 8 added several helpful string functions, including str_contains, str_starts_with, and str_ends_with. These help with common tasks that required more complex logic before. PHP 7 had no direct way to perform these checks.
• Error Handling Improvements - PHP 8 improved how errors are thrown. More warnings and notices were changed into exceptions. This makes them easier to catch and handle. It brings PHP closer to other languages that use exceptions more consistently. PHP 7 left many edge cases unhandled or inconsistent.

Main Advantages of PHP 8

PHP 8 brings benefits that help developers write clearer code, improve performance, and reduce bugs. These benefits show up across large and small projects.

• Improved Performance with JIT - The JIT compiler helps some programs run faster. For CPU-heavy scripts, the gain can be large. Web pages do not always see large jumps, but the engine now runs with better memory handling and faster loops.
• Cleaner Syntax - Features like match expressions and constructor promotion help cut down on repetitive code. Named arguments and attributes make programs easier to read. These changes reduce mistakes and make intentions clear.
• Stronger Type Safety - With union types and better return type support, code becomes more predictable. These tools help catch errors during development. They make it easier to understand what a function expects and what it will give back.
• Better Error Management - More consistent error handling makes bugs easier to fix. By turning more notices into exceptions, PHP 8 helps prevent silent failures. This makes testing more reliable.
• Support for Modern Frameworks - Modern frameworks make full use of PHP 8. Tools like Laravel, Symfony, and others have started using features like attributes and union types. This helps developers build faster and safer apps using the latest tools.
• Easier Maintenance - Shorter and more consistent code helps teams maintain software over time. New language features reduce the number of lines and remove repeated patterns. This leads to fewer mistakes and cleaner upgrades.

Adoption and Use

Most major PHP projects began adding support for PHP 8 soon after its release. WordPress, Drupal, and Magento added updates to work with PHP 8. Developers upgrading from PHP 7.4 often ran into deprecations but found the process smoother than previous jumps.

By the time PHP 8.1 and 8.2 were released, many hosting providers supported PHP 8 by default. New codebases often begin with PHP 8 in mind. Old codebases move to PHP 8 as they phase out support for older versions.

PHP 8.1 and PHP 8.2

After the initial release of PHP 8.0, the language continued to grow. PHP 8.1 added enums, read-only properties, and fibers for better async behavior. PHP 8.2 brought disjunctive normal form types and more cleanup of older features.

These later versions kept the momentum of PHP 8. They focused on features that made modern programming easier. They improved code clarity without slowing performance or changing the language too much.

PHP 8 Hosting with NTC Hosting

If you want to have a smooth PHP 8 hosting experience, you can take a look ot our Hepsia-equipped hosting solutions - we have cloud hosting plans, semi-dedicated servers, OpenVZ and KVM virtual private servers, and dedicated servers. All of them can be purchased with the Hepsia control panel for free, which in turn allows you to run different PHP versions for each host.