This is a CLI library in order to run a PHP script using the NodeJS V8 engine.
I've been a PHP developper for years and now I'm mainly using JavaScript. I will debate about NodeJS versus PHP, because they come with different advantages, and honestly I like both for different reasons.
The main motivation behind this project is to empower a PHP developper to be able to do the same things you could do with NodeJS or Javascript.
You are maybe thinking, if a developper wants to do the same thing as a nodejs application can do, why not learn and use directly NodeJS ? Well, here are some personal reasons :
- Learning curve (not a big one, everybody knows JS /@YDKJS) with a new framework/libraries/etc...
- Grasp Prototypal principles, scopes
- Habits & losing landmarks (coding style, core functions)
- Losing typehinting habits, or dislike Duck Typing
- Losing SOLID principles / patterns
- ... and maybe others, let's chat if you want to share your experience
This project is not made for someone who masters JS and doesn't like PHP. It's just a matter of taste, some guys prefer SOLID vs Duck typing, and may prefer to use a friendly syntax for years instead of learning a new syntax like Typescript.
I do not say it's the best overall solution, you may choose depending on what suits you best.
The project is still under developpement, so you can't use it yet 😄.
Seriously, I plan to :
- Handle all PHP structures (namespace, classes, traits, interfaces)
- Impl a PHP core specific layer (in order to support main PHP functions)
- Impl a new syntax keyword in order to natively support any Javascript library
- Impl a native debug support with sourcemaps
- Impl plugins for gulp/grunt/babel in order to export code for browser
- Add a support for apache cordova
- Add a support for electron
Things you can do :
- Write a mobile application
- Write a GUI application
- All the cool stuff you can do in NodeJS
- Write an application for the browser
- Use frameworks like Vue.JS, SailsJS or Express/Koa
Things you can't do :
- Run an old application (PHP modules like PDO or lib_mysql will not be available)
- Use a dynamic variable name lookup like
$$var
, I'm not sure I want to degrade overall performance in order to be able to do that - Maybe others, work is still in progress
PHP is synchronous, however some implementations with libevent/promises were done as experiments - like react php (BTW the Hello world
demo is almost the same as NodeJS 😉)
The main problem here is how to run a synchronous code without blocking the loop.
My answer to this is : let I/O tasks run asynchrously, and execute the next statement when the task result is ready.
Now how to do this without breaking the structure flow, and without degrading performances ?
I still need a POC, but I think I will use generators and promises in order to achieve this, the resulting transpiled code will be easy to read and will perform well with a native support.
npm install -g glayzzle
glz -r "echo 'hello world';"
To run a PHP file you can use the same parameter as PHP :
glz -f your-file.php
// or
glz your-file.php
You can also run a script as a server (using NodeJS cluster module)
glz -S 127.0.0.1:8080 index.php
Other planed things :
- Add a standalone FCGI support in order to run it with Apache/Ngnix
- Add a generic daemon FCGI server (something similar to php-fcgi)
Actually the project is a Prof Of Concept, and does not run over all PHP syntax.
Here's my todo list :
- 100% - Develop a parser/lexer
- 10% - Develop a runtime
- 20% - Develop a transpiler
- 15% - Develop a compatibility layer
- 0% - Write some awesome demo
If you want to contribute, fell free to make a pull request or discuss on the chat