Understanding the End of Life of PHP 7.3: What It Means and What to Do Next
PHP 7.3 was a significant release for the PHP programming language, bringing with it a variety of new features and improvements aimed at enhancing the developer experience. However, as of December 2021, PHP 7.3 reached its end of life (EOL) status, which means it no longer receives official support or updates from the PHP community. For development teams still using PHP 7.3, it is crucial to upgrade to a newer version or seek third-party support to ensure security and stability.
The Legacy of PHP 7.3
Released on December 6, 2018, PHP 7.3 was the third feature release in the PHP 7.0 series. It was designed to improve the language’s syntax and performance, making it easier and more efficient for developers to build applications. Some notable features introduced in PHP 7.3 include:
- Flexible Heredoc and Nowdoc Syntax: This improvement made it easier to write and maintain complex string literals.
- Trailing Commas in Function Calls: This feature simplified the process of adding new elements to lists and arrays.
- Using References with list(): This allowed developers to assign variables using references more effectively.
- Counting Improvements: Enhancements were made to the count() function, improving its accuracy and reliability.
- Key Access with JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR: This allowed developers to handle errors more gracefully when working with JSON data.
- LDAP Controls Support: PHP 7.3 introduced better support for LDAP controls, enhancing the language’s capabilities when working with directory services.
For a more detailed overview of the features and improvements in PHP 7.3, you can refer to the PHP 7.3 Release Announcement.
Performance Boosts with PHP 7.3
One of the most remarkable aspects of PHP 7.3 was its performance improvements. It marked the first double-digit increase in performance within the PHP 7 series. Various applications witnessed notable gains, such as:
- WordPress + WooCommerce saw a 12.5% performance boost.
- Drupal 8 experienced an 11.2% improvement.
- Joomla saw a 4.5% increase in performance.
- Magento 2.3.0 observed an 11% enhancement.
- Most application frameworks enjoyed approximately 5% gains.
However, if your applications are still running on PHP 7.3, they are missing out on the latest performance enhancements offered by newer PHP versions. Upgrading to a more recent version is highly recommended to take advantage of these improvements.
Deprecations in PHP 7.3
PHP 7.3 also introduced some deprecations aimed at removing inconsistent behavior. For instance, the "define()" function, commonly used to declare constants, accepted a third value—a Boolean flag indicating whether the constant should be case-insensitive. This behavior was inconsistent with how constants are generally declared using the "const" keyword. Consequently, this flag has been deprecated in PHP 7.3.
For more information on the deprecations introduced in PHP 7.3, you can refer to the PHP manual.
Understanding PHP 7.3 End of Life
As of December 6, 2021, PHP 7.3 reached its end of life. This means that the PHP community no longer provides updates, bug fixes, or security patches for this version. Continuing to use PHP 7.3 poses significant risks to your applications, including security vulnerabilities, performance issues, and increased costs.
Security Risks of Using PHP 7.3 EOL
One of the most critical consequences of using PHP 7.3 after it has reached its end of life is the heightened security risks. New security vulnerabilities are discovered regularly, and using an unsupported version like PHP 7.3 exposes your applications to potential threats. These vulnerabilities, known as Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), are documented and assigned unique identifiers. Over time, the number of CVEs affecting end-of-life PHP versions will continue to grow, posing a significant risk to your application’s security.
Performance and Stability Concerns
Each new PHP version not only introduces performance improvements but also enhances the overall stability of applications. By continuing to use PHP 7.3, your applications miss out on the latest features and optimizations, which can lead to poor performance and increased downtime. Applications relying on outdated libraries or those incompatible with PHP 7.3 are more likely to experience crashes or other issues.
Hidden Costs of Using PHP 7.3 EOL
Using an unsupported PHP version like 7.3 can incur hidden costs. While teams using supported PHP versions can focus on improving their applications’ security, performance, and functionality, those using PHP 7.3 must allocate resources to addressing security vulnerabilities and bugs independently. This can result in lost opportunities and increased costs associated with maintaining an outdated system.
Migration and Support Options for PHP 7.3
The best course of action for teams using PHP 7.3 is to migrate to a supported version as soon as possible. Migrating ensures that your applications remain secure, compliant, and performant. However, migrations can be complex, especially for teams with extensive codebases or multiple applications in need of an upgrade.
Migrating to Supported PHP Versions
Migrating to a supported PHP version unlocks access to enhanced performance, new features, and improved functionality for your applications. It allows you to deliver faster and more reliable services, giving your team a competitive edge. While migrations can be challenging, especially if PHP 7.3 upgrades need to be completed in increments to reach a currently supported version, partnering with PHP migration experts can simplify the process.
Long-Term Support for PHP 7.3
For teams that need more time to plan and execute a migration strategy, seeking long-term support from trusted third-party providers is crucial. Zend, for example, offers Long Term Support (LTS) services that extend the lifespan of end-of-life PHP versions. Their expert support helps maintain the performance, stability, and security of applications still using PHP 7.3.
PHP 7.3 EOL Timeline with Zend PHP LTS
- PHP Version: 7.3
- Release Date: December 6, 2018
- Active Support End Date: December 6, 2020
- End of Life / Security Support End Date: December 6, 2021
- Zend PHP 7.3 LTS End Date: December 2026
In conclusion, while PHP 7.3 brought valuable features and performance improvements to the PHP language, its end of life in 2021 necessitates a proactive approach to migration or long-term support. By planning a migration strategy or utilizing PHP LTS services, development teams can ensure their applications remain secure, compliant, and performant in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
For more insights and support, you can explore Zend’s PHP 7.3 Migration Services and PHP 7.3 LTS Options.
For more Information, Refer to this article.
