Web development involves the use of various programming and scripting languages. They are the means by which we give instructions to servers and CPUs to perform a certain task. As the complexity of the programs increases with standards, students start seeking PHP Assignment Help. This allows them to focus on study rather than fighting with thousands of lines of codes. The code is then run through compilers for execution and analyse the results.
Many servers handle the code differently, and one must know about them to learn them for future use. Here are 7 common servers used for PHP compilation.
Zend Engine: It was launched in 1999 by two students from an Israeli technology university. This server is responsible for the popularity of PHP, as it can also be used for other applications. Its performance and reliable nature have made it popular among coders. It is an open-source scripting engine.
HHVM: It is also known as HipHop Virtual Machine. It was developed at the Facebook headquarters. It is an open-source virtual machine meant to process PHP code at 6 times faster rate than previous systems. Later, it was outperformed by newer versions of the Zend Engine. It uses a just-in-time(JIT) compiler to convert instructions into machine code.
Parrot: This is a virtual machine developed by the Perl community. Later, it was licensed to Parrot foundation to hold copyrights and trademarks. It converts the PHP code into an intermediate code, which is then executed in the virtual machine. This machine can run various languages and allows inter-operations between them. The system uses its own byte code at the ope final stage of its execution.
PeachPie: It takes the PHP code and converts it into a common intermediate language (CIL) developed but Microsoft. It is an open-source compiler developed to run on the .NET framework of software. It was developed by .NET developers.
Phalanger: It is the predecessor of PeachPie. It was discontinued after the new version was launched. It uses a similar CIL to convert the code into bytecode and execute it. It uses the JIT compiler to process the bytecode in the .NET framework.
Quercus: This compiler is shipped with Resin software and is developed for PHP specifically. It converts the code into Java bytecode, which later is compiled using the software. It was claimed to be faster than the standard PHP compiler. But this was only true when it works in unison along with the JIT compiler.
HipHop: It is the predecessor of HHVM. It converts the PHP code into the C++ code to do the final compilation. It is proved to reduce the load on the server by about 50%, which is most beneficial when you want a server for other purposes. It was developed by Facebook to save resources.
These were a few compilers and virtual systems that can be used for the purpose of running codes. They are available at the licensed website for the use of students and coders.
Summary: This article gives a brief description of 7 compilers for PHP code that are active or discontinued.