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Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2024 13:07:45 +0100
To: PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] [DISCUSSION] C++ Enhancements in Zend API
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From: imsop.php@rwec.co.uk ("Rowan Tommins [IMSoP]")



On 11 August 2024 23:52:00 BST, Lanre <lnearwaju@gmail=2Ecom> wrote:
>I=E2=80=99m considering adding some C++ enhancements to the Zend API=2E T=
hese changes
>would be encapsulated within `#ifdef __cplusplus` guards, so they wouldn=
=E2=80=99t
>interfere with the existing C implementation=2E The primary goal is to
>provide a nicer interface for extensions while maintaining compatibility
>with C=2E

Hi Lanre,

This thread seems to have become quite heated, perhaps because people tend=
 to have strong opinions about different programming languages=2E=20

It might help reset the discussion to draft a quick RFC outlining what is =
being proposed, and why=2E

I think some key things that would need to be considered are:

1=2E Why does this belong in the core repository, vs a separate library su=
ch as PHP-CPP? Would it be easier to have it maintained by people familiar =
with the core engine, but not with C++, rather than people outside the proj=
ect, but familiar with C++? Are there technical reasons why some features r=
equire / benefit from being part of the same files / directories as the C A=
PI? Are there potential uses for things which are already in the core, such=
 as bundled extensions?

2=2E Does this imply the PHP project "blessing" C++ in some way, over othe=
r languages? Or does it imply we could/should have similar wrappers for oth=
er languages, such as Rust and Go? (Ignoring any personal views, both are i=
n active use in similar contexts, and a quick search turned up https://docs=
=2Ers/ext-php-rs/latest/ext_php_rs/ and https://github=2Ecom/deuill/go-php)

3=2E What guarantees can/should we provide about the stability and mainten=
ance of these additional API elements? Note that this crosses over with poi=
nt 1 - a separate library can make breaking changes on a different cycle to=
 the core project, and even add C++ (or Rust, Go, etc) APIs for already rel=
eased versions of the engine=2E

Regards,
Rowan Tommins
[IMSoP]