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PHP 7.4 End of Life

PHP 7.4 End of Life: What It Means for Your Business and Website

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PHP 7.4 reached End of Life (EOL) on November 28, 2022, impacting almost 47% of teams that still rely on it for their applications.

Without security patches or bug fixes, businesses using this version face increasing risks of security vulnerabilities, performance degradation, and application instability. 

As PHP 8.x offers improved security and performance with features like Just-in-Time compilation and async capabilities​, timely migration is critical to safeguarding your business and ensuring long-term stability. 

This blog will provide a comprehensive guide to facilitate your transition and outline key factors for a successful upgrade from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.x.

Understanding PHP 7.4's Lifecycle

Understanding PHP 7.4's Lifecycle

PHP versions follow a structured lifecycle, ensuring continuous improvements and security until they reach End of Life (EOL This lifecycle consists of three main phases: active support, security support, and eventually, End of Life.

  • Active Support: During this phase, PHP versions receive regular updates, including bug fixes and new features. For PHP 7.4, active support ended in November 2021, after two years of regular updates and improvements.
  • Security Support: After active support, PHP versions move into one year of security support. Only critical security patches are provided during this phase, ensuring that the software remains safe from major vulnerabilities. For PHP 7.4, security support ended on November 28, 2022​. Once this phase ends, no further updates are provided by the community.
  • End of Life (EOL): Once the security support phase concludes, a version enters End of Life. This signifies that the community will no longer provide updates, bug fixes, or security patches. For businesses still depending on PHP 7.4, this creates considerable risks, such as potential security breaches, application instability, and outdated functionality.
PHP VersionRelease DateActive Support End DateSecurity Support End DateExtended Support Options
PHP 7.4November 28, 2019November 28, 2021November 28, 2022Available via third-party LTS until 2026

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Why the Transition to PHP 8.x Matters

Transitioning from PHP 7.x to PHP 8.x is essential for maintaining the stability, performance, and security of your applications. PHP 8.x introduces advanced features such as Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation, which boosts performance, and async capabilities like fibers that enable more efficient code execution. Moreover, migrating to PHP 8.x helps protect your applications from vulnerabilities that may be exploited after PHP 7.4’s EOL​.

Remaining on an unsupported version increases the risk of application failure, and exposes you to security vulnerabilities, and unnecessary maintenance costs. Therefore, timely migration is crucial for businesses aiming to stay competitive and secure.

3. Why Was PHP 7.4 So Popular?

PHP VersionPercentage of Websites Using It
PHP 7.x51.00%
PHP 8.x35.30%
PHP 5.x13.50%
PHP 4.x0.10%

Statistics: PHP 7.4 is approximately 15% faster than PHP 7.3, according to various benchmarks. For example, Phoronix tested PHP 7.4 and found that it performed better than its predecessor, especially in high-traffic environments​ (Kinsta).

PHP 7.4 introduced various features that significantly improved its performance and usability, making it a favored option among developers.

  • Typed Properties: This feature allowed developers to declare types for class properties, which helped in catching errors early in the development process and provided better code quality​.
  • Arrow Functions: With arrow functions, developers could write more concise and readable code, especially when working with array operations. This improved code maintainability and reduced boilerplate​.
  • Coalescing Assignment Operator: This operator (??=) simplified common patterns in PHP code by assigning a value only if it was null. This reduced unnecessary condition checks, making code more efficient.

Additionally, PHP 7.4 built upon the performance gains of earlier versions. It significantly improved execution speed over PHP 5.x and PHP 7.0, making applications run faster with lower memory consumption.

This combination of new features and performance gains led to widespread adoption, with over 47% of PHP teams still using it, even after it reached its PHP 7.4 End of Life

4. What Are the Risks of Continuing to Use PHP 7.4 After EOL?

With PHP 7.4 reaching End of Life (EOL), businesses that continue using it face several risks:

  • Security Vulnerabilities: Since PHP 7.4 no longer receives laravel security patches, any newly discovered vulnerabilities will remain unaddressed. This leaves applications vulnerable to potential cyberattacks, data breaches, and compliance risks.
  • Performance Degradation: PHP 8.x introduces significant performance improvements over PHP 7.4, including features like Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation. Sticking with PHP 7.4 means missing out on these optimizations, leading to higher resource usage and slower application performance​.
  • Application Instability: Continuing to use PHP 7.4 can lead to instability in your applications. As third-party libraries and frameworks evolve to support PHP 8.x, those using PHP 7.4 may experience compatibility issues, leading to crashes or malfunctions​.
  • Opportunity Cost: Maintaining PHP 7.4 requires teams to spend valuable resources on patching and maintaining outdated systems instead of focusing on innovation, improving functionality, or adopting new technologies​.

5. What Are the Available Long-Term Support (LTS) Options?

For businesses unable to migrate immediately from PHP 7.4, there are several Long-Term Support (LTS) options available:

  • Third-Party LTS Services: Companies offer extended support for PHP 7.4, providing security patches even after its official EOL. This can serve as a valuable stopgap for businesses that require additional time to plan their migration without compromising security.
  • Self-Support: Some organizations opt to maintain PHP 7.4 independently, creating in-house solutions for security vulnerabilities and performance issues. However, this approach can be resource-intensive and may not be feasible for most businesses, particularly those with limited technical staff.

6. How Should Businesses Prepare for the PHP 7.4 Migration?

Migration StepTool/ResourcePurpose
Code AssessmentPHPcompatIdentify deprecated functions
Code RefactoringRectorAutomate code updates
Dependency CheckComposerEnsure third-party libraries are compatible
Testing Environment SetupDocker/Staging ServersTest PHP 8.x without affecting live applications
Continuous Integration & DeploymentJenkins/GitLab CI/CDAutomate testing and deployment

Pre-Migration Planning: Assessing Your Codebase for Compatibility with PHP 8.x

Before upgrading from PHP 7.4 to a newer version, it’s crucial to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your codebase. This assessment can help pinpoint potential incompatibilities that might lead to problems during or after the migration. Key areas to examine include:

  • Deprecated Functions: Review your codebase for functions that may have been removed or deprecated in PHP 8.x. Many functions and features that were marked for removal in PHP 7.4 may now no longer be supported in PHP 8.x​.
  • Library and Framework Dependencies: Check if your third-party libraries and frameworks are compatible with PHP 8.x. Some may not yet support the new features or changes introduced in PHP 8.1 and 8.2​.
  • Backward Incompatibility: PHP 8.x introduces several backward-incompatible changes that may break your code if not addressed during migration planning​.

Tools to Use: PHPcompat and Rector

To streamline the laravel migration process and minimize manual work, businesses should take advantage of automated tools:

  • PHPcompat: This tool assists in identifying code that may not be compatible with newer versions of PHP. It thoroughly scans your entire codebase and highlights any outdated or deprecated functions, guiding what needs to be updated before migration.
  • Rector: The Rector automates the refactoring process by applying predefined rules to update your code. It’s especially helpful for addressing incompatibility issues and ensuring your code is optimized for the latest version of PHP.

By using these tools, businesses can greatly minimize the effort needed to refactor their code, facilitating a smoother transition to PHP 8.x.

Testing Environments: Importance of a Staging Environment

Establishing a staging environment is essential before migrating to PHP 8.x. This setup enables businesses to test the migration in a controlled setting that closely resembles the production environment, minimizing the risk of real-world disruptions.

  • Why Staging Matters: Testing in a staging environment is crucial for uncovering potential issues that could occur during migration. It allows you to identify bugs, incompatibilities, or performance degradation before going live, ensuring a smoother transition to the new version of PHP.
  • Testing Thoroughly: Perform comprehensive tests across all critical functions, including databases, APIs, user interfaces, and third-party integrations. This ensures that every aspect of the application is compatible with PHP 8.x and works as expected​.

7. Picking the Right Migration Path (PHP 8.0, 8.1, or 8.2)

FeaturePHP 7.4PHP 8.x
PerformanceOptimized compared to PHP 5.xEnhanced with JIT compilation
Typed PropertiesIntroduced in 7.4Improved support with Union Types
Error HandlingTraditional error handlingMore structured with Error classes
Asynchronous ProgrammingNot availableAvailable with Fibers (in PHP 8.1)
Security UpdatesEnded in November 2022Regular updates and security patches

When upgrading from PHP 7.4, especially after its PHP 7.4 EOL, businesses must choose between PHP 8.0, 8.1, or 8.2 based on their specific needs. Each version offers unique features and improvements that cater to different requirements, making the transition from the PHP 7.4 release date a crucial decision point.

PHP 8.0: Core Features and Backward-Incompatibility Risks

PHP 8.0 is the first major release after PHP 7.x and introduces several groundbreaking features:

  • Just-in-Time (JIT) Compilation: One of the standout features of PHP 8.0, JIT significantly boosts performance by compiling code at runtime instead of during interpretation. This approach is especially advantageous for performance-intensive applications, such as data processing and complex algorithms, leading to faster execution and improved overall efficiency.
  • Backward Incompatibility: PHP 8.0 comes with several backward-incompatible changes, such as alterations to error handling and function signatures. Businesses need to assess these risks before migration, as they could break existing code without proper adjustments​.

PHP 8.0 is a great option for teams that want to take advantage of performance improvements but must carefully plan for these breaking changes.

PHP 8.1: Features Like Async Capabilities and Object Model Improvements

PHP 8.1 builds on PHP 8.0 with additional features aimed at improving performance and developer efficiency:

  • Async Capabilities with Fibers: Fibers introduce asynchronous programming to PHP, enabling developers to manage tasks like network operations or file I/O without blocking other processes. This feature is particularly beneficial for applications that demand concurrency, allowing for more efficient handling of multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Improved Object Model: PHP 8.1 introduces features like read-only properties and enums, allowing for more efficient code structure and better organization of data types. This leads to cleaner, more maintainable code​.

PHP 8.1 is ideal for teams that want to benefit from async programming and improved object-oriented design while still using PHP 8.0’s performance improvements.

PHP 8.2: Readonly Classes, Standalone Types, and Further Enhancements

PHP 8.2, the latest release, offers even more powerful features:

  • Readonly Classes: Introduced in PHP 8.2, readonly classes allow you to create objects that cannot be modified after their initial setup. This feature improves code safety by preventing accidental changes, making it easier to maintain the integrity of your data throughout the application.
  • Standalone Types: With standalone types, PHP 8.2 enables developers to work with stricter data typing, ensuring higher code quality and reducing errors​.
  • Further Performance Enhancements: PHP 8.2 continues to improve performance, building on the JIT improvements from PHP 8.0 and 8.1, making it the most optimized version of PHP so far​.

Choosing the Right Version for Your Business

  • PHP 8.0 is the best for businesses that want a stable upgrade with immediate performance benefits, especially for CPU-intensive applications. However, you’ll need to handle the backward-incompatibility risks carefully​.
  • PHP 8.1 is a better fit for teams to use async programming and improved object models, ideal for modern web applications​.
  • PHP 8.2 is the best choice for teams looking for the latest in PHP development, with readonly classes and stricter typing that make for safer and more efficient code. It is particularly suited for those who need long-term stability and performance improvements​.

8. What Challenges Might You Face During Migration?

8. What Challenges Might You Face During Migration?

Migrating from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.x comes with its own set of challenges.

Recognizing and preparing for these issues is crucial for ensuring a smoother transition.

Breaking Changes

One of the most significant challenges during migration is backward incompatibility.

PHP 8.x introduces several breaking changes that could cause your existing code to fail if not adequately addressed.

For instance, function signatures may have changed, and certain features that were deprecated in PHP 7.4 have now been completely removed.

Additionally, error handling has been revised, which can impact how your application operates.

These changes need careful code adjustments to ensure functionality and stability in the new environment.

Third-Party Dependencies

Your application likely depends on third-party libraries, plugins, or frameworks, many of which may not yet support PHP 8.x.

This can lead to compatibility issues, with some dependencies potentially breaking during the migration.

Ensuring that all your libraries are updated and compatible with PHP 8.x is essential before the migration begins​.

Migration Costs

Migrating from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.x involves both time and monetary investments.

Time must be allocated for code review, refactoring, and testing, while costs may arise from hiring developers or purchasing tools to facilitate the migration.

The bigger and more complex your application, the higher these costs can become.

9. What Are the Benefits of Migrating to PHP 8.x?

9. What Are the Benefits of Migrating to PHP 8.x?

Despite the challenges, migrating to PHP 8.x offers significant benefits that outweigh the potential risks of staying on PHP 7.4:

Improved Security

One of the most critical reasons to migrate is security. PHP 8.x continues to receive regular security patches and updates, keeping your application protected from emerging vulnerabilities. As PHP 7.4 no longer receives security patches, staying on an unsupported version increases the risk of cyberattacks​.

Performance Enhancements

PHP 8.x introduces performance improvements through features like Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation, which boosts the speed of certain operations. Applications running on PHP 8.x benefit from faster execution and reduced resource consumption, especially for complex or resource-heavy tasks​.

New Features

PHP 8.x comes with several new features that make development more efficient and scalable:

  • Union Types: Improve data handling by allowing variables to store multiple types.
  • Attributes: Attributes: Introduced in PHP 8.x, attributes offer a structured way to add metadata to classes, methods, and properties. This makes it easier to manage code and configurations effectively.

By upgrading to PHP 8.x, businesses can improve their application’s security, performance, and maintainability, leading to more efficient development in the long run.

10. What Steps Can Ensure a Successful Migration?

Begin by developing a comprehensive plan that outlines each stage of the migration. This should involve evaluating your current codebase, identifying potential compatibility problems, and specifying the scope of the migration. Additionally, your roadmap should incorporate timelines for testing and deployment.

Refactor Your Code

Use tools like PHPcompat and Rector to identify deprecated functions and automate parts of the refactoring process. This step ensures that your code is compatible with PHP 8.x and that any issues caused by breaking changes are addressed early​.

Staged Deployment

Instead of migrating everything in one go, consider staging your deployment. This approach involves gradually updating different parts of your application while keeping other sections operational. By doing so, you can test each segment for compatibility and bugs, which helps minimize the risk of system-wide failures.

A well-structured migration process minimizes the chances of downtime or costly errors and ensures that your application transitions smoothly to PHP 8.x.

11. What Are the Long-Term Impacts on Businesses Using PHP 7.4?

11. What Are the Long-Term Impacts on Businesses Using PHP 7.4?

Continuing to use PHP 7.4 after its End of Life can have serious long-term consequences for your business:

  • Increased Risks: Without security updates, applications running on PHP 7.4 are vulnerable to new security threats. This could lead to data breaches, downtime, and potential legal or compliance issues, especially in industries handling sensitive information​.
  • Opportunity Costs: By sticking with an outdated version of PHP, businesses may spend unnecessary time and resources maintaining unsupported code. This time could be better spent on innovation or improving the functionality of their application. Migrating to PHP 8.x opens up opportunities to use new features and improved performance, enabling businesses to stay competitive.

Upgrading to PHP 8.x is crucial for businesses seeking long-term stability and growth, especially after the PHP 7.4 End of Life.

With PHP 7.4 EOL, moving to a newer version helps secure applications, reduce maintenance costs, and use new features for improved development efficiency. 

How ClickySoft Can Help with Your PHP 7.4 Migration?

At ClickySoft, we offer comprehensive PHP development services to ensure your smooth transition from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.x. 

As a trusted Houston web design company, our team of experts specializes in managing complex migrations with minimal disruption to your business. 

With the PHP 7 end-of-life in effect, we assess your codebase for compatibility, using industry-leading tools and best practices for a secure and seamless upgrade.

Whether you’re dealing with the PHP 7.4 release date or navigating the PHP EOL status, don’t risk security vulnerabilities or performance issues.

Partner with ClickySoft for a successful PHP migration and future-proof your applications today!

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