PHP 8: JIT is Integrated in the Next Version of PHP

PHP is the most popular programming language for web development. It is a server-side scripting language that can be used to easily create simple or complex websites and web applications. It can thus be used to manage dynamic content, session tracking, databases and even to create e-commerce sites. PHP is integrated with various commonly used databases, including MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server and Informix.

All languages ​​require regular updates to improve their functionality and security. PHP is no exception, and will be upgrading to the long-awaited version 8 this year.
In December 2020, PHP 8 will be a reality for digital experts. This major version comes with several new features like Union Types , Static Return and Weak Maps , but it’s the functionality of the JIT compiler that gets the attention of all developers.

The JIT (Just In Time) compiler

One of the most interesting new features is therefore the JIT compilation. Its introduction in this new version aims to improve the performance of applications developed from the PHP language. In theory, the JIT compiler will increase the speed of the application thanks to its mode of compilation of PHP scripts. This technique will compile parts of the code at run time, so that the compiled version can be used instead.

What does the JIT compiler do?

Just In Time compilation is a way to transform the Opcode PHP directly into machine language understood by the processor, always to obtain additional performance.

JIT is implemented as an almost independent part of OPcache, an extension to cache Opcodes so that compilation takes place only when required. In PHP, JIT will treat the instructions generated for the Zend VM, as the intermediate representation. It will then generate machine code depending on the architecture so that the host of your code is no longer the Zend VM, but directly the CPU.

With JIT support, teams of programmers will be able to develop integrated functions in PHP without impacting performance. This will make PHP less susceptible to memory management, overflows, and other similar problems associated with C-based development.

We are therefore impatiently awaiting the release of PHP 8 scheduled for the end of the year, which will officially launch the JIT compiler. We hope this article has been helpful to you and has helped you better understand what this new feature, important in the history of programmers, is all about. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to write to us !