This is hard point of discussion.
Each PHP major version 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 has its own nice things.
Here is short description of latest 3 major versions changelog:
5.4
Quote:The key features of PHP 5.4.0 include:- New language syntax including Traits, shortened array syntax and more
- Improved performance and reduced memory consumption
- Support for multibyte languages now available in all builds of PHP at the flip of a runtime switch
- Built-in webserver in CLI mode to simplify development workflows and testing
- Cleaner code base thanks to the removal of multiple deprecated language features
- Many more improvements and fixes
Changes that affect compatibility:
5.5:
Quote:The key features of PHP 5.5.0 include:
Changes that affect compatibility:
- PHP logo GUIDs have been removed.
- Windows XP and 2003 support dropped.
- Case insensitivity is no longer locale specific. All case insensitive matching for function, class and constant names is now performed in a locale independent manner according to ASCII rules.
5.6:
Quote:The main features of PHP 5.6.0 include:
PHP 5.6.0 also introduces changes that affect compatibility:
- Array keys won't be overwritten when defining an array as a property of a class via an array literal.
- json_decode() is more strict in JSON syntax parsing.
- Stream wrappers now verify peer certificates and host names by default when using SSL/TLS.
- GMP resources are now objects.
- Mcrypt functions now require valid keys and IVs.
In PHP > 5.4 I don't see any stuff of which usage would be made harder for framework user to incorporate into his application without framework support. Using PHP > 5.4 would change how framework is written, but user won't notice feature limitations due to framework missing support of 5.5/5.6. Notice that I'm not saying PHP > 5.4 shouldn't be required. It's just something to think about.
I am trying to stay up to date always even sometimes I got problems with that
PHP 7 is to be released this year so all PHP development should think of leaving the good php5 in next 2 years. As Muzikant mention its support will end there..
Regarding this I think that CI 4 will be the last Major CI version (except if there is CI 4.x) which is based on PHP 5 generation. So perhaps targeting its last version 5.6.x as requirement is not a bad idea. This way all things in PHP 5 will be included and after it CI can target PHP 7 as future support version.
At the moment most hosting services are providing 5.3/5.4 and 5.5 (5.6 is yet not used in many places).
In 1 year which I think is minimum time for building new version of the framework 5.6 will be available at more providers.
Specially as PHP 5.5 support ends at June 2016 and its good to force people to use supported PHP versions..
(04-07-2015, 06:21 AM)sv3tli0 Wrote: [ -> ]So perhaps targeting its last version 5.6.x as requirement is not a bad idea.
At the moment most hosting services are providing 5.3/5.4 and 5.5 (5.6 is yet not used in many places).
(...) its good to force people to use supported PHP versions..
5.6? Are you insane?
We need to keep in mind that not all hosting companies provide the latest and greatest as soon as it's available. Not only hosting companies but businesses in general.
Where I work, they installed Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 on our web servers. The specific version we use comes with PHP 5.3 and even worse, it's a an old outdated 5.3 package. It's very hard to make them install anything that doesn't come from Red Hat and they won't upgrade the whole OS on all servers only for PHP. I'm sure a lot of people are in the same position. So, yes it sucks to support obsolete versions. But we must at least try to support old PHP versions. If it's not possible, fine. People stuck with outdated PHP versions can still use an old version of CodeIgniter.
I guess it's reasonable to support the oldest officially supported version, which is 5.4 at the moment.
My clients are not going to demand "bleeding edge" php code. They will use what their servers offer and they do not like to be told they "must" upgrade to the next version when their current code is still doing the job they want done.
So, CI support for 5.4 will be available using CI 3.x. This works for my existing clients, which is good for business.
For the future, There will be a move to php 5.5-5.6 only after my client is told, by their IT dept. that they can no longer get support for the code. Think molasses in winter. Then think cash flow, it is the name of the game.
So, CI 4.x would need to offer something very, very special if it does NOT support php 5.x.
Support for php 5.6 ends in less than two years (2017). Support from my clients will last for another couple of years beyond that, at least, so I see over three years of income-producing work... From CI 3.x.
If CI 4.0 is targeted beyond php 5 (meaning php 7), then the market for that code will be limited. That means my potential client base will also be limited, to companies who are willing to use "bleeding edge" code. There are not many of these...
My vote is php 5.6 for CI 4.0
(04-07-2015, 04:22 PM)includebeer Wrote: [ -> ] (04-07-2015, 06:21 AM)sv3tli0 Wrote: [ -> ]So perhaps targeting its last version 5.6.x as requirement is not a bad idea.
At the moment most hosting services are providing 5.3/5.4 and 5.5 (5.6 is yet not used in many places).
(...) its good to force people to use supported PHP versions..
5.6? Are you insane?
We need to keep in mind that not all hosting companies provide the latest and greatest as soon as it's available. Not only hosting companies but businesses in general.
Where I work, they installed Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 on our web servers. The specific version we use comes with PHP 5.3 and even worse, it's a an old outdated 5.3 package. It's very hard to make them install anything that doesn't come from Red Hat and they won't upgrade the whole OS on all servers only for PHP. I'm sure a lot of people are in the same position. So, yes it sucks to support obsolete versions. But we must at least try to support old PHP versions. If it's not possible, fine. People stuck with outdated PHP versions can still use an old version of CodeIgniter.
I guess it's reasonable to support the oldest officially supported version, which is 5.4 at the moment.
CI 3 covers 5.2-5.4 so 5.6 is not bad option.. Upgrade fron CI 3 to CI4 will be almost imposible with adding namespaces (core and loader will be completely different). And ci 3 release tooked to much time 3 PHP major versions were pushed at that time..
So targeting 5.5 or 5.6 I think is the right way.. those who won't have php 5.6 in 1 year can just stay on ci3 those who want ci4 have to cover 5.6requirements.
The companies are not willing to upgrade only if they have old code which works and they do not want to touch it, because upgrading could cause a lot of headaches. But if they are creating a new project, they will choose the most common solution at that time. PHP 7.0 is too new, but there is no reason to support PHP 5.4, which will be obsolete sooner than new framework will be finished. Supporting version 5.6 is reasonable in the long run. As sv3tli0 wrote, upgrading from version 3 to 4 will be almost impossible, so no big deal I think.
PHP 7 is on the way so PHP 5.6 is best for CodeIgniter 4.0
5.5? 5.6? Are you out of your mind?
A lot of hosting companies have to support a lot of older PHP websites and for that reason do not update. They have a good reason for that, because it breaks (or might break) many websites.
If CI requires newer (latest) versions of the framework, that would mean I can not create websites which can be hosted on multiple hosting providers (unless it is fully backwards compatible).
Not everybody has the luxury of being able to choose on which host (and so which PHP version) a website will run.
I have just seen the poll results and I really wonder in what world people are living? Please be realistic.