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Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:00:52 +0700
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To: Dmitry Stogov <dmitrystogov@gmail.com>
Cc: PHP Internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] A new JIT engine for PHP-8.4/9
From: pierre.php@gmail.com (Pierre Joye)

Hello :)

Posting again, I just realized I used "reply" not "reply all"

On Mon, Sep 11, 2023 at 4:29=E2=80=AFPM Dmitry Stogov <dmitrystogov@gmail.c=
om> wrote:
>
> Hi internals,
>
> I'm glad to present a new JIT engine that is going to be used in the next
> major PHP version. Now it's a real optimizing compiler with Intermediate
> Representation similar to Java HotSpot server compiler.
>
> It makes a base for future improvements and eliminates many low-level
> details of the existing PHP JIT. Instead of supporting assembler code for
> different CPUs, now PHP generates a single IR and passes it to a
> PHP-independent JIT engine.

Great work! This is a massive jump for PHP. Thank you :)

I don't have much concerns about the license etc as the ZE is already
under Zend the ZE license (never updated since Perforce acquired them,
tho'):

https://github.com/php/php-src/blob/master/Zend/LICENSE

I do really like the IR addition. This opens huge new opportunity, not
only for optimization and JIT but to move forward into bringing new
technology support to PHP (WASM f.e.). There are big challenges and I
am not sure yet it can be ever be fully possible to target WASM.
however, having the ability to do it with a subset of PHP, f.e. some
business logic classes etc., would already be amazing. I can't imagine
a php9 without taking this into account tbh. That would be kill php in
any way but that would definitively puts it in less competitive area
than others (JS, go, rust, ocaml f.e.), for another few years.

I have a simple php function working (just a small go app to parse the
IR text output and convert it. But that's not remotely a POC :). I
discussed with Dmitry and the idea would be to add a WASM target to
libIR (partial support or whatever is possible).

This is the part I would like to see more discussions or feedback as
it will define what could become possible or not. A certain level of
similarity or compatibility could make other targets much easier.

> The old JIT implementation is going to be kept for a while.

I like the idea too. The sooner this work can be available as
experimental, the sooner it will get stable.

Best,
--=20
Pierre

@pierrejoye