This directory contains compiler implementation, compatibility, build-mode, and special-topic design documents. The user-facing manual lives in the separate aot/docs repository; the research reports and refactoring plans here may describe historical state, and current behavior should be determined by the code, tests, and compatibility checklist.
- AOT and PHP Incompatible Features Checklist: a concise list of current limitations.
- Incompatibility Classification: distinguishes Hard Limit, Intentional Rule, Pending, and Partial.
- Compatibility Engineering Policy: prioritization, PHPX abstraction boundaries, and review rules for PHP compatibility work.
- Compiler CLI: current CLI arguments and project configuration.
- Compilation Modes: binary, extension, library modes.
- Quick Start: the minimal compile flow.
- Embedding PHP Dependencies in an Executable: release setup, Composer autoload, build requirements, and caching for
embedded-files. - Compile-time Functions:
std::any(),std::ref(),std::expected(),std::unexpected(), and keyword methods. - Native Types, High-Precision Types, Std Containers.
- Three Object Storage and Passing Models: the responsibilities, ABI, and non-substitutable boundaries of Zend Object, PHPX Box, and Native Class Object.
- Universal and Extension Methods, Generator.
#[Immutable]compile-time read-only contract: methods, parameters, aliases, call boundaries, and dynamic escape rules.- Typed PHP arrays and type annotations: StdList/StdDict metadata, direct-write checks, and dynamic escape boundaries.
- Class Inheritance, Mixed C++/PHP.
- Unified Type Annotation Design: StdArray/StdVector/StdMap/StdOrderedMap/StdList/StdDict contracts, storage, indices, and dynamic boundaries, distinguishing implementation from target design.
- StdFunc / StdArgInfo Type Annotation Design: proposed signatures, Nullable, references, Optional, Variadic, and caller-side default completion; not implemented.
- Backend-Neutral IR
- TypePHP WASM Technical Plan and Implementation Plan
- Building TypePHP WASI Programs
- Rebuilding the PHPX WASM Static Library: incremental rebuild of
libphpx.a, numeric-dependency rebuild, and full SDK rebuild boundaries. - Core Refactoring Plan
- Scope Management Design: responsibilities and usage boundaries of
CallableScope,UserCodeScopeGuard, andFakeScopeGuard. - Runtime Initialization and Shutdown Flow: the four-layer lifecycle of PHP, PHPX, TypePHP, and the project, covering bin/ext/lib, multi-module, and WASM.
- C++ Namespaces, Prefixes, and Symbol ABI: responsibility boundaries and conflict rules for
typephp_,php::,typephp_<project>, and user callablesphp_. - Zend Object Creation and Property Default Value Initialization: the
gen_stub.phpdefault property table, trigger conditions for customcreate_object, execution flow, and performance boundaries. - Native Class Object Design and Implementation Acceptance Matrix.
- PHP 8.4 Property Hook Integration Design: compile-time lowering, Zend Hook metadata, object introspection, and PHPX ABI boundaries.
- Interface Property Hook Implementation Plan: interface property contracts, compile-time variance checks, and PHP 8.4 abstract Hook metadata.
- Build Speed Research
- Optimization Priority
- High-Precision Type In-Place Operation Optimization Plan
- GMP Differences
hhvm-review.md, kphp-review.md, peachpie-review.md, phpstan-design-analysis.md, php-src-optimizer-analysis.md, and the patent drafts record comparisons and design background at the time of investigation, and do not serve as the current feature list.
- When current compatibility changes, update
INCOMPATIBLE_PHP_FEATURES.mdand the classification document simultaneously. - All syntax and semantic limitations link uniformly to the current compatibility checklist to avoid maintaining duplicate lists.
- Feature support should be determined by PHPT/PHPUnit regression tests.
- Historical research documents preserve the original comparison conclusions and note the investigation date where necessary; they should not be silently rewritten to reflect the current state.