PHP4Mono
the Mono PHP Compiler
PHP4Mono is a compiler that enables Mono to run PHP code. It translates PHP scripts to Common Intermediate Language (CIL). Like that PHP scripts can be executed as console applications on Mono.
You can even access other .NET assemblies and e.g. build Graphical User Interfaces directly from within a PHP script using the Gnome libraries.
PHP4Mono is licensed under the GNU General Public License.
You can get binaries and source from the SourceForge Download Page.
Please note that PHP4Mono is still in development. You are welcome to report any issues in the SourceForge Bugs Page.
The only requirement is Mono in version 1.1.8.3 or higher. No installation is necessary; just make sure the files mPHP.exe and mPHPRuntime.dll are located in the same directory after downloading. To ensure comfortable usage of the Mono PHP Compiler it is useful to ensure your path contains the Mono binaries directory.
To compile a PHP script, go to the directory where mPHP.exe is located. Then execute
mono mPHP.exe [<options>] <source file>
whereas <options> may be any of
| -out:<file> | Specifies output file | |
| -target:<kind> | Specifies the target (short: -t:) <kind> is one of: exe, library |
|
| -reference:<file list> | References the specified assembly (short: -r:) Files in <file list> separated by , or ; |
|
| -nowarn | Disables warnings | |
| Displays this usage message (short: -?) |
The binaries distribution of the Mono PHP Compiler includes a couple of examples. The simplest one demonstrates the compilation and execution of a PHP script on its own. Another one additionally demonstrates how a compiled PHP script can be used from a class written in another .NET language. Several other examples show how other .NET libraries can be accessed directly from within a PHP script. For a detailed description of these examples please refer to the file samples.pdf.
The Mono PHP Compiler translates PHP scripts of version 5 to Common Intermediate Language (CIL) and like that enables them to be executable on Mono. Currently not all features of PHP are supported. See below for a more detailed overview.
| PHP feature | included | not included |
| types | boolean integer float/double string arrays object null mixed |
resource number callback |
| casting | explicit implicit |
|
| variables | local static global |
variable variables predefined variables superglobals |
| constants | standard constants magic constants |
|
| expressions | all expressions | except `...` |
| operators | all operators | except @ |
| control structures | if else elseif while do for foreach switch try catch |
delcare include/require |
| functions | user defined functions | variable functions built-in functions external modules |
| classes and objects | inheritance overloading abstraction interfaces cloning |
iterators reflection |
A summary of PHP4Mono including an example and facts about the compiler, PHP and Mono is available on this poster.
Detailled background information is available in this book which describes the compiler in more detail. If you would like to contribute to this project or to know more about the compiler's internals, this is a good point to start with.
After the basics are done with version 0.2, the next steps should increase usability. First, a basic library should be implemented containing standard functions available in PHP (for handling arrays, strings etc). Second, PHP extensions should be made accessible by the compiler. Like that any native extension can be used without the need of re-implementing it. Any developer who likes to contribute to the project is welcome and sould contact me.
Golem.de - PHP bändelt mit .Net an (2-24-2006)
derStandard.at - Aus PHP wird .Net (3-5-2006)
Heise - PHP-Compiler für Mono in neuer Version (3-8-2006)
LiSoG - Supported Project (3-17-2006)
idw - Neue Skriptsprache für Open-Source-Platform "Mono" (3-31-2006)
The Mono PHP Compiler originally was my final year project at the University of Augsburg in collaboration with the Linux Solutions Group. In 2005 it was sponsored by Google's Open Source Funding Summer of Code in contribution with the Mono Project. Special thanks to Bernhard Bauer, Thomas Uhl, Tom Schwaller, Miguel de Icaza and Chris di Bona for supporting this project.
Raphael Romeikat, April 3rd, 2006
