PHP 8.1 Release managers and release dates

Published On26 Mar 2021

PHP 8.1 release date

PHP 8.1 is currently in active development, this half the year is when most of the new features, removals, syntax changes, and other improvements are discussed.

PHP 8.0 was released on 11th of November last year, with Sara Golemon and Gabriel Caruso being the release managers. Traditionally, release managers call and often help the release managers appointed for the next PHP version.

PHP 8.1 Release Managers

Sara recently called for release-managers for PHP 8.1, and it received overwhelming enthusiastic responses.

Joe Watkins, one of the main contributors to PHP has stepped in to be the first release-manager, and he will be mentoring two potential release managers. Those who have signed up far are:

  • Adiel Cristo
  • Gunnard Engebreth
  • Harm Smits
  • Eric Van Johnson
  • Patrick Allaert
  • Sergey Panteleev
  • Ben Ramsey

The new release managers (usually two) will be chosen by a vote and by the current release-managers. The names will be announced soon.

PHP 8.1 Feature Freeze

Feature-freeze is the cut-off point for new changes and improvements to the current PHP master branch. After this point, a new PHP-8.1 branch will be created. In theory, all new changes must be made to the master branch, and the PHP-8.1 branch will only receive bug fixes and will be prepared for the eventual PHP 8.1 release.

PHP 8.1 feature-freeze is currently scheduled for 20th of July, 2021.

PHP 8.1 Release Date

PHP release are usually tagged on a Tuesday, and released Thursday. Following the traditional release dates, a new major version is released on the last week of November.

The first generally available (GA) version of PHP 8.1 will be released on 25th of Nov, 2021.

Note that none of the dates above are fixed. It is not uncommon for the PHP development team to cut interim releases as the release-managers see fit. Stability over fixed dates.

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