HHVM support for PHP 7

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3 min readintermediate
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Overview

The article discusses the support for PHP 7 in HHVM, highlighting the new features introduced in PHP 7.0.0 and the commitment of the HHVM project to maintain compatibility with both PHP 5 and PHP 7, ensuring a smooth transition for users.

What You'll Learn

1

How to utilize new PHP 7 features in HHVM

2

Why HHVM continues to support both PHP 5 and PHP 7

3

When to enable PHP 7 behavior in HHVM

Key Questions Answered

What new features are introduced in PHP 7.0.0?
PHP 7.0.0 introduces several new features including anonymous classes and generator delegation. These features enhance the language's capabilities, allowing developers to write cleaner and more efficient code.
How does HHVM support PHP 7 while maintaining PHP 5 compatibility?
HHVM supports both PHP 5 and PHP 7 by allowing features that do not pose compatibility issues to be available by default. Users can enable PHP 7 behavior for backwards-incompatible changes through specific INI settings.
What is the significance of HHVM's upcoming 3.11.0 release?
The HHVM 3.11.0 release is significant as it will be the first stable version to fully support major PHP 7 features, marking a commitment to keeping pace with PHP's evolution.

Technologies & Tools

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Backend
Hhvm
HHVM is used to run PHP applications and now supports PHP 7 features.
Backend
Php
PHP is the programming language for which HHVM is providing support.

Key Actionable Insights

1
Developers should test the nightly builds of HHVM to ensure compatibility with their applications using PHP 7 features.
Testing the nightly builds allows developers to identify any issues early and provide feedback, which is crucial for ensuring that the upcoming stable release is robust.
2
Utilize the INI option to enable PHP 7 behavior selectively in HHVM.
This approach allows developers to gradually adopt PHP 7 features while maintaining the stability of their existing PHP 5 codebase.

Common Pitfalls

1
Assuming that all PHP 7 features are available without configuration in HHVM.
Some features in PHP 7 are not enabled by default and require specific INI settings to activate, which could lead to confusion if not properly configured.