Commit Log#1 - FrankenPHP is now Officially Supported by The PHP Foundation

One of the best news that broke today in the Open Source Software world was about The PHP Foundation announcing the official support for FrankenPHP. Now, for those who are not familiar with FrankenPHP, it is an uber cool, super charged PHP Application Server written in Go Language. This project was initially backed by Les-Tilleuls.coop. Today the announcement from The PHP Foundation is a turning point for the FrankenPHP project. This can shake up how we build, ship and scale our PHP projects. The best part is, the original brains behind FrankenPHP will continue to steer the ship.

So, what’s the deal with FrankenPHP anyway?

Try not to think of it as just another way to run PHP. Instead, imagine giving your application a serious performance boost. FrankenPHP actually embeds PHP directly into Go and the Caddy web server, making deployment much smoother and noticeably faster. It’s like upgrading your reliable PHP setup with high-octane power—while also simplifying how you manage everything.

And it’s worth remembering: PHP still powers a massive portion of the web—roughly 70%, in fact. That includes major platforms like WordPress, Laravel, and Symfony. What FrankenPHP does is bring fresh, modern enhancements to a language that already does a lot of heavy lifting online.

Why should FrankenPHP even be on your radar?

• Smoother Deployments: We spend not so small amount of time setting up environments, and cleaning up the mess of configuration files we created in first place. FrankenPHP puts a smooth cut through all that and it bundles everything- PHP interpreter, web server, extensions, and whatever cogs and gears that is needed for the application to run smoothly into a single executable; or even better a docker image. It is like having a complete ready to go package for running PHP applications without the usual hassles
• Faster Performance: Speed is one of the areas where FrankenPHP really shines. It piggy-backs the power of Go to give your apps a boost in responsiveness and efficiency. It has a “worker mode”, that allows your app to reuse memory between requests instead of allocating memory from the start for each request. This means faster response times and the muscle to handle more traffic with lesser resources.
• Lower Costs, Less Waste: It is not only about the NFRs. But gives a tangible savings in $$$ too. Since it uses lesser resources, the hosting costs can be reduced.
• Real-Time Capabilities: Another area where FrankenPHP shines is with realtime capabilities where the application needs live updates like instant notifications, live data refreshes via websockets etc. It comes with native support for Mercure, a modern protocol that’s quickly being adopted for RTC on web.
• Built to Grow: It does not stop there. Applications can be extended using Go, C or C++ and FrankenPHP can bundle that too. This gives freedom to use the best stack for a given usecase.

FrankenPHP Plays Well with the Big Kids

This isn’t some niche tool that only works in isolation. The major PHP frameworks are already on board! Laravel, Symfony, and Yii have all integrated FrankenPHP’s “worker mode,” meaning you can tap into those performance gains without having to rewrite your entire application. You could literally start using FrankenPHP today and see improvements.

The PHP Foundation Steps In

The fact that The PHP Foundation is officially backing FrankenPHP speaks volumes about its potential for the future of PHP. By hosting FrankenPHP’s code on the official PHP GitHub and contributing to its development, the foundation is ensuring it will be reliable, secure, and keep pace with the ongoing evolution of PHP.

And here’s a key point: this isn’t a hostile takeover. The original rockstars behind the project – Kévin Dunglas, Robert Landers, and Alexander Stecher – will continue to lead the way, making sure it stays true to its original vision. However, the foundation’s involvement will foster tighter collaboration with the PHP interpreter team, the Caddy folks, and the Go community, creating a stronger and more unified ecosystem.

The Community is Loving It (and So Are the Big Guys)

FrankenPHP is already a hit with developers, racking up nearly 8,000 stars on GitHub and getting contributions from over 100 developers. Major hosting providers like Upsun, Laravel Cloud, and Clever Cloud are also supporting it, making it a solid choice for running real-world applications. The fact that Kévin Dunglas also co-maintains Caddy further strengthens FrankenPHP’s position as a modern solution for PHP.

Les-Tilleuls.coop, the project’s initial sponsor, will continue to provide development and financial backing, ensuring FrankenPHP keeps growing alongside PHP and Caddy. This widespread support really highlights how mature and ready for prime time this project is.

Technical Details

For those curious about the tech behind FrankenPHP, here’s a quick breakdown:

FrankenPHP’s architecture lets it run PHP apps directly within its process, getting rid of the need for separate external services. And its compatibility with modern web standards like HTTP/3 and Early Hints means it’s built for the future of web development.

What’s Next for FrankenPHP?

With the official backing of The PHP Foundation, FrankenPHP is on a clear path to becoming a fundamental part of PHP development. Caddy is already promoting it as the best way to run PHP on their server, and it might not be long before it gets a prominent spot on the official PHP website as a recommended approach (alongside traditional methods like PHP-FPM).

For us developers, this means easier access to a powerful tool that simplifies our workflow and boosts the performance of our applications. For businesses, it’s an opportunity to build faster, more efficient applications without breaking the bank.

PHPVerse is Coming Up

FrankenPHP apart, if you are into PHP, and you want to vibe with the community, a wonderful opportunities are coming up.

• PHPVerse
  Online event celebrating PHP's 30th birthday!
  June 17. 2025
• The API Platform Conference
  @ Lille, France
  September 18 - 19, 2025

See you in the next "Commit Log".

Reference: https://thephp.foundation/blog/2025/05/15/frankenphp/