PHP Versions (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 23 Apr, 2025
PHP has been a key technology in web development from the beginning, helping create interactive websites and web applications. Over the years, PHP has evolved, introducing new features, performance improvements, and better security. Understanding the different PHP versions and their changes is essential for developers to keep their code up to date and take advantage of the latest improvements.
Here we explore the evolution of PHP from **PHP 3 to the **latest stable PHP 8.4 and offers practical guidance for choosing and migrating between versions.
All PHP Versions [1998 to 2024]
Let’s take a look at the different versions of PHP, their release years, and the key features they introduced:
| Version/Official Name | Release Year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PHP 1 (Personal Home Page Tools 1.0) | 1995 | *Never Released |
| PHP 2 (PHP/FI 2) | 1997 | *Never Released |
| PHP 3 | 1998 | **First Edition for Commercial Use |
| PHP 4 | 2000 | ****Added:**Zend EngineSession supportOutput bufferingImproved object-oriented programming support |
| PHP 5 | 2004 | ****Added:**Full OOP support (classes, inheritance, interfaces)PDO (PHP Data Objects) for database interactionExceptions and better error handling |
| PHP 7 | 2015 | ****Added:**Major performance improvementsScalar type declarationsNull coalescing operator (??)Spaceship operator (<=>) |
| PHP 8 | 2020 | ****Added:**Just-In-Time (JIT) compilationUnion typesMatch expressionConstructor property promotionAttributes (annotations) |
| PHP 8.1 | 2021 | ****Added:**Fibers for concurrencyReadonly propertiesIntersection typesPerformance improvements |
| PHP 8.2 | 2022 | ****Added:**Disjunctive Normal Form (DNF) typesDeprecated dynamic variables in classesRead-only classes |
| PHP 8.3 | 2023 | ****Added:**JIT engine improvementsBetter error handlingEnhanced async programming support |
| PHP 8.4(Latest Stable Release) | 2024 | ****Added:**Property hooksAsymmetric visibility in classesDatabase driver-specific PDO classesLazy objectsHTML5 support in DOM extension |
**Did you know? PHP began as a humble set of C scripts crafted by _Rasmus Lerdorf to manage his online resume and track visitors. What started as a personal project soon evolved into a powerful tool that would lay the foundation for one of the most widely used programming languages in web development.
Choosing the Right PHP Version for Your Project
Here are main factors that you consider while choosing version of php for your project:
- **Security: Use actively supported versions only.
- **Performance: PHP 7+ significantly outperforms earlier versions.
- **Compatibility: Ensure your CMS/framework supports the version.
**PHP Version Recommendations by Project Type
Choose the right PHP version based on your project requirements and compatibility needs:
| **Project Type | **Recommended PHP Version | **Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress Sites | PHP 8.1 or 8.2 | Balances stability with modern features. |
| E-commerce Platforms | PHP 8.2 or 8.4 | Emphasizes performance and security. |
| Legacy Applications | PHP 7.4 | Suitable during migration phases. |
| New Projects | PHP 8.4 | Offers the latest features and optimizations. |