Compatibility PHP4-5-6

[jose]

Hi there. Here a theoretical question.

 

I am building a dynamic website using a 5.3.1 version. Some web hosts do not support this version. I know that PHP 6 is coming. This situation provokes really a mess. Websites become obsolete, etc, etc. I would like to know more about this topic.

 

Thanks

[PFMaBiSmAd]

You already started one thread for this topic. Don't start another one.

[ChemicalBliss]

Most Proffesional and modern hosting companies support multiple PHP Versions (You get to choose), this is getting easier and easier as technology and software evolve.

 

For most programmer; Program to the masses, this means the most commonly used php version.

If your going for the most efficient and modern script that will hold its weight for the future, program for the latest stable release (PHP 5).

 

It Depends what functionality your script needs (how big it is depends on wether you should bother with OOP concepts, php 5+), and how compatible you want it to be, functionality always comes first as your script needs to do what you want it to do. There will always be requirements ofr every piece of software.

 

-cb-

[Daniel0]

I know that PHP 6 is coming.

 

How do you know that when even the PHP group doesn't?

[jose]

My website is dynamic and I need a database environment (XAMPP or MAMP). XAMPP provides only PHP 5.3.1 version. To make matters worst web hosts only support certain versions of PHP. I think, there is a problem of development and applications.

 

And PHP 6 sooner or later will appear.   

[ChemicalBliss]

XAMPP, WAMP and other 'bundles' are almost _never_ used by professional hosting companies, they are simply an easy way to install apache/php and mysl together with a widely accepted default setup.

 

If your really this interested in application development and design, then i would reccommend reading about all the possible http server software(Apache, IIS..), server side scripting languages (PHP, ASP.NET ..), and you will also need to be reading about how browsers currently interpret HTML/Java and CSS client code, as well as FLASH compatibility.

 

To put it bluntly - code the project and make it as compatible as possible using references you've found above. Using PHP 5+ OOP, you can at least be sure most of your classes will survive the next 10-20 years of PHP Development. Do not use deprecated features, or unneccessary features that may be deprecated.

 

This is an extremely exhaustive topic, one that (IMHO), you only need to research once or twice, re read my post earlier, as it says - Design it, _then_ make it compatible. Most, if not all of the functions and constructs you will use will be compatiblee with at least PHP5+, without OOP, PHP4+, and so on. Each major PHP release has mostly added functionality, so if your script works now, chnces are they will still work when/if PHP10 comes.

 

-cb-

[Mchl]

And PHP 6 sooner or later will appear.   

 

How can you be sure? There's nothing that would prevent PHP to be stuck in 5.x forever, or skip straight to 7. Such things have happened before in other projects.

[foobarbaz]

And PHP 6 sooner or later will appear.   

 

It's like Perl 6, I anticipated it for quite awhile but it's still taking quite some time to be released, Personally IMO PHP 4 shouldn't have gone up a major version. I'm sure many hosts will allow PHP 5.x off the bat for many years to come, assuming the "2 million plus" sites that run varients of either will be given more than sufficient time to have the choice to move; If indeed hosts will want it when it could be out.

[trq]

Hi there. Here a theoretical question.

 

I am building a dynamic website using a 5.3.1 version. Some web hosts do not support this version. I know that PHP 6 is coming. This situation provokes really a mess. Websites become obsolete, etc, etc. I would like to know more about this topic.

 

Thanks

 

Are you actually using any 5.3 specific features?

[jose]

Hi there. Here a theoretical question.

 

I am building a dynamic website using a 5.3.1 version. Some web hosts do not support this version. I know that PHP 6 is coming. This situation provokes really a mess. Websites become obsolete, etc, etc. I would like to know more about this topic.

 

Thanks

 

Are you actually using any 5.3 specific features?

 

 

As far as I know Variable Static Calls and I had to download the MySQL Native Driver into my windows extensions.

 

[trq]

Your first comment makes little sense and the native php mysql driver has been around since php5.0.0 and uses the same mysql interface as always.

[Mchl]

Your first comment makes little sense and the native php mysql driver has been around since php5.0.0 and uses the same mysql interface as always.

 

mysqlnd however is new to PHP 5.3

[trq]

Your first comment makes little sense and the native php mysql driver has been around since php5.0.0 and uses the same mysql interface as always.

 

mysqlnd however is new to PHP 5.3

 

My mistake. It indeed is. However, it has no effect on code compatibility.