PHP 8.4.0alpha4: Downloads, Changelog, News

Release Information

Release
8.4.0alpha4
PHP Version
PHP 8.4
Release Date
Release Type
Bug Fix Release
Release Status
Use PHP 8.4.3 instead
Branch Status
Supported (Latest)

PHP 8.4.0alpha4 is an old release of PHP 8.4 series. Using the latest version PHP 8.4.3 is highly recommended.
PHP 8.4 continues to receive bug fixes and security fixes until 2026-12-31.

Downloads

Source Code

Git Clone
Use Git to clone the 8.4.0alpha4 tag from the PHP Git repository.
git clone https://github.com/php/php-src.git --depth 1 --branch php-8.4.0alpha4
How to compile PHP
PHP can be compiled by setting up the dependencies, building the configure script (./buildconf), configuring the build ./configure, and running make.
Detailed articles on how to compile PHP are available for Ubuntu/Debian based systems and Fedora/RHEL based systems.

Windows binaries
Non-Thread Safe Builds
Non-Thread Safe (NTS) builds are single-threaded PHP builds. They can be used on web servers that integrate PHP over FastCGI protocol, such as Nginx, Caddy, and IIS.
Thread-Safe Builds
Thread-Safe (TS) builds are multi-thread PHP builds, often used to integrate PHP as a Server API for multithreaded servers. The most common use case is using PHP as an Apache module.

Docker/Podman Containers

PHP CLI
PHP CLI Containers images only include the PHP CLI, and no FPM or Apache modules. The Alpine builds are lightweight, but may introduce incompatibilities due to their musl builds. Albeit their larger size, the Debian-based (without the "-alpine" suffix) images are more complete, and widely used.

Alpine-based: Lightweight, but may introduce incompatibilities due to their musl builds.
docker pull php:8.4.0alpha4-cli-alpine

Debian-based: More compatible with other components, complete, and are widely used.
docker pull php:8.4.0alpha4-cli
PHP CLI + Web Server Integration
These container images include PHP CLI, and a web server integration. FPM container images can be integrated with web servers such as Nginx, Caddy, and Apache with Event MPM. The Apache container images include Apache web server, integrating PHP as an Apache module.

Alpine-based: Lightweight, but may introduce incompatibilities due to their musl builds.
docker pull php:8.4.0alpha4-fpm-alpine

Debian-based ZTS Apache: Includes Apache web server integrating PHP as an Apache module.
docker pull php:8.4.0alpha4-apache

Debian-based NTS FPM: PHP-FPM, can be integrated with Nginx, Caddy, and other web servers over Fast CGI.
docker pull php:8.4.0alpha4-fpm

Commit List

David CARLIER

  • ext/readline: readline_info fix usage when the buffer is not initialised in GH-15139

Niels Dossche

  • Fix UAF when removing doctype and using foreach iteration in b282dd749f
  • Minor cleanup in dom_character_data_append_data in GH-15173

Peter Kokot

  • Autotools: Normalize PHP_OUTPUT arguments in GH-15177

Saki Takamachi

  • RFC: Change GMP bool cast behavior in GH-15151
  • Update versions for PHP 8.4.0alpha4 in 59a91a47c7

Tim Düsterhus

  • Improve link styling in PHPInfo in GH-15077
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