Why are you running an EOL version of PHP?
- Thread starter Kier
- Start date
PaulB
Well-known member
Unless I'm missing something, the dependencies in XF 2.2.13 need to be manually patched if you want to get them working with PHP 8.2.
Muddy Boots
Well-known member
Seeker-Smith
Well-known member
What is the point? I was running a new version of php but there were issues and I was told the new versions are not supported. I had pay a tech guy to roll me back.
PaulB
Well-known member
- Security fixes. Old PHP versions tend to be unmaintained, receive less scrutiny, and complicate security from XenForo's perspective. While using an old version of PHP doesn't automatically mean you'll get hacked, you'll often be expanding your attack surface by doing so. Make sure you're on a version of PHP that is supported both by the core PHP team and, if applicable, your distro. Always make sure you're on the latest revision of your minor PHP version, otherwise you'll be lacking security patches.
- Language design is still an active area of research. As an industry, we're continuously discovering ways to improve how programming languages work. While these changes are most apparent to developers themselves, they have a direct impact on end users, too: newer PHP versions make it easier to detect and prevent common programming mistakes. While manual review will always be important, static analysis remains a vital tool in ensuring that large codebases--such as XenForo--function as intended. Static analysis can only be as good as allowed by the minimum PHP version that XenForo supports.
- Every time you force a programmer to use PHP 7.x when they could be using PHP 8.x, they die a little inside. Save your friendly neighborhood programmer: update PHP.
Jake B.
Well-known member
I think the fact that things like this are still being posted (as recently as just a couple months ago, with only one patch which doesn't mention an updated recommended PHP version) is pretty concerning:
PHP 8.0 has been out of active support since November last year, and will be losing security updates in just a few more months. Even 8.1 is nearing the end of active support. We're quickly approaching a state where the recommended PHP version is no longer receiving updates, and at this point it seems pretty unlikely that anything will change given that PHP 8.1 came out in November 2021 and still isn't listed as officially supported. Things definitely seem to have stagnated since this poll was made to encourage people to the latest PHP version
PHP 8.0 has been out of active support since November last year, and will be losing security updates in just a few more months. Even 8.1 is nearing the end of active support. We're quickly approaching a state where the recommended PHP version is no longer receiving updates, and at this point it seems pretty unlikely that anything will change given that PHP 8.1 came out in November 2021 and still isn't listed as officially supported. Things definitely seem to have stagnated since this poll was made to encourage people to the latest PHP version
I don't think that's entirely charitable. The vast majority of PHP 8.1 issues have been addressed (actually, all of them that we're aware of at the time of writing), and progress has been made towards PHP 8.2 support as well. While I do appreciate the increased strictness of recent versions, PHP 8.1 was particularly painful because of the deprecation of passing
While using the latest supported version is ideal, it's still extremely helpful to use to more recent versions at all. We still have to support PHP 7.2 in XF 2.3 because so many customers are running ancient PHP versions. Supporting a wide range of versions is challenging, especially when it comes to 3rd-party libraries.
null to string functions (a sensible change overall). We've been a bit reticent to recommend PHP 8.1 officially, but I think we'll aim to do so in XF 2.2.14 and beyond.While using the latest supported version is ideal, it's still extremely helpful to use to more recent versions at all. We still have to support PHP 7.2 in XF 2.3 because so many customers are running ancient PHP versions. Supporting a wide range of versions is challenging, especially when it comes to 3rd-party libraries.
TPerry
Well-known member
You reach a point though that you have to say finis. Those that are using hosting that haven't at least upgraded their infrastructure to support at least 7.4 (better yet 8.0) simply need to look elsewhere for a more current hosting provider or simply decide to stay on an old version of XF that will no longer receive support.
I realize that there probably are several that are still running 7.2 and 7.3 (EOL 2.5/1.5 years ago).... but there comes a point that you have to force upgrades to something more recent. And it's even more important if it slows the development process down or causes the inability to use certain features/functions because of "lack of backward capability".
KensonPlays
Well-known member
I would be on 8.x, but my friend who runs a wp site on cloudways owns the VPS. I have to wait on him to update it for me.
I've yet to get 8.x working on my server. can't figure out the 500 errors that every page throws. i'm missing something in my build, clearly, but there's no logs telling me what.
this spans both wp and xf sites, so it's not just xf code causing issues, it's php, somewhere missing something.
couple this in with cpanel no longer updating, centos going out for alma, and now eol for old php, and we part-timers have a lot of work to do in the next few months.
this spans both wp and xf sites, so it's not just xf code causing issues, it's php, somewhere missing something.
couple this in with cpanel no longer updating, centos going out for alma, and now eol for old php, and we part-timers have a lot of work to do in the next few months.
PaulB
Well-known member
A lot changed in PHP 8.0. It's much stricter than PHP 7.x, and that trend continued with both 8.1 and 8.2. This is great for both security and ease of development, but it's liable to error out when it encounters code that didn't follow best practices--code that might have just silently misbehaved or even exhibited no obvious problems at all in prior versions. That'll result in a 500 error. Your PHP or web server error logs should be able to give you more details.
TPerry
Well-known member
Really? They offer 8.2.8?
Can you show a screen grab of that.. since if I remember correctly you said you use NameCheap?
Is Digital Ocean Host Good for Xenforo, Or What Host Can Is Best
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xenforo.com
Seems like they only advertise as high as 8.1.x if their documentation is correct.
Or is this simply another instance of a long-suffering trait you trend to show?
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Alpha1
Well-known member
PHP8.3 alpha came out last month and will become the GA version in November.
benjamincrozat.com
It looks like it will break a lot of things in XF.
Is XF 2.2.X or 2.3 going to support PHP8.3 ? (assuming we will see these after November 2023)
PHP 8.3 is out, now! Here's what's new and changed.
PHP 8.3 was released on November 23, 2023, and as usual, you need to be up to date with new features and breaking changes for easier transitions.
benjamincrozat.com
Is XF 2.2.X or 2.3 going to support PHP8.3 ? (assuming we will see these after November 2023)
TPerry
Well-known member
It doesn't even support 8.1 "officially" right now.. and you expect it to support 8.3 in a few months?
PaulB
Well-known member
Yes: there's a constant stream of security vulnerabilities being found in PHP. These days, most are relatively minor or don't impact XenForo, but eventually we'll see another big CVE that affects old PHP versions.
As far as I can tell, there aren't any new breaking changes that are likely to affect XF. That being said, 8.2 brought quite a few breaking changes that likely still affect XF 2.2.13.PHP8.3 alpha came out last month and will become the GA version in November.
It looks like it will break a lot of things in XF.PHP 8.3 is out, now! Here's what's new and changed.
PHP 8.3 was released on November 23, 2023, and as usual, you need to be up to date with new features and breaking changes for easier transitions.
Is XF 2.2.X or 2.3 going to support PHP8.3 ? (assuming we will see these after November 2023)
2.2.13 brought a statement that the XenForo team is "comfortable recommending PHP 8.1": https://xenforo.com/community/posts/1636824 I don't think it's accurate to say that 8.1 isn't officially supported; it's just not the formally recommended version on the release announcement page.
TPerry
Well-known member
There is a difference between saying "we are comfortable recommending", and saying "we fully support".
I could easily go into some comparisons... but some would be crude... and honestly.. I care less and less about helping XenForo out as time is progressing.
