__halt_compiler() – how nuts?

Share this article

Simon blogmarked PHP’s new(ish) __halt_compiler function which, according to the packet;

… halts the execution of the compiler. This can be useful to embed data in PHP scripts, like the installation files. Byte position of the data start can be determined by the __COMPILER_HALT_OFFSET__ constant which is defined only if there is a __halt_compiler() presented in the file.

It may or may not be an elegant solution (it’s certainly relatively simple) but it does have a very valid use case – to allow PHP applications which install themselves from a single script, all related pieces (other PHP scripts, CSS, HTML, images, etc.) being packed at the end of the script in a binary form.

The prime example is Ilia’s fudforum – if you download a recent version, you’ll see it makes use of this – simply run the install.php script an it unpacks everything from there. Greg mentioned __halt_compiler as well a while back, in conjunction with all the stuff he’s been doing on phar archives.

Anyway – personally don’t find it so nuts. And consider the opportunities for building job security ;)

Otherwise noticed Sara Golemon has a book coming on writing PHP extensions – much needed. Also a related note Bruce Eckel has published a free seminar in this “Thinking in ” series – Thinking in C.

Harry FuecksHarry Fuecks
View Author

Harry Fuecks is the Engineering Project Lead at Tamedia and formerly the Head of Engineering at Squirro. He is a data-driven facilitator, leader, coach and specializes in line management, hiring software engineers, analytics, mobile, and marketing. Harry also enjoys writing and you can read his articles on SitePoint and Medium.

Read Next
How to Use jQuery’s ajax() Function for Asynchronous HTTP Requests
How to Use jQuery’s ajax() Function for Asynchronous HTTP Requests
Aurelio De RosaMaria Antonietta Perna
Quick Tip: How to Align Column Rows with CSS Subgrid
Quick Tip: How to Align Column Rows with CSS Subgrid
Ralph Mason
15 Top Web Design Tools & Resources To Try in 2024
15 Top Web Design Tools & Resources To Try in 2024
SitePoint Sponsors
7 Simple Rules for Better Data Visualization
7 Simple Rules for Better Data Visualization
Mariia Merkulova
Cloudways Autonomous: Fully-Managed Scalable WordPress Hosting
Cloudways Autonomous: Fully-Managed Scalable WordPress Hosting
SitePoint Team
Best Programming Language for AI
Best Programming Language for AI
Lucero del Alba
Quick Tip: How to Add Gradient Effects and Patterns to Text
Quick Tip: How to Add Gradient Effects and Patterns to Text
Ralph Mason
Logging Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide to Winston in Node.js
Logging Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide to Winston in Node.js
Vultr
How to Optimize Website Content for Featured Snippets
How to Optimize Website Content for Featured Snippets
Dipen Visavadiya
Psychology and UX: Decoding the Science Behind User Clicks
Psychology and UX: Decoding the Science Behind User Clicks
Tanya Kumari
Build a Full-stack App with Node.js and htmx
Build a Full-stack App with Node.js and htmx
James Hibbard
Digital Transformation with AI: The Benefits and Challenges
Digital Transformation with AI: The Benefits and Challenges
Priyanka Prajapat
Quick Tip: Creating a Date Picker in React
Quick Tip: Creating a Date Picker in React
Dianne Pena
How to Create Interactive Animations Using React Spring
How to Create Interactive Animations Using React Spring
Yemi Ojedapo
10 Reasons to Love Google Docs
10 Reasons to Love Google Docs
Joshua KrausZain Zaidi
How to Use Magento 2 for International Ecommerce Success
How to Use Magento 2 for International Ecommerce Success
Mitul Patel
5 Exciting New JavaScript Features in 2024
5 Exciting New JavaScript Features in 2024
Olivia GibsonDarren Jones
Tools and Strategies for Efficient Web Project Management
Tools and Strategies for Efficient Web Project Management
Juliet Ofoegbu
Choosing the Best WordPress CRM Plugin for Your Business
Choosing the Best WordPress CRM Plugin for Your Business
Neve Wilkinson
ChatGPT Plugins for Marketing Success
ChatGPT Plugins for Marketing Success
Neil Jordan
Managing Static Files in Django: A Comprehensive Guide
Managing Static Files in Django: A Comprehensive Guide
Kabaki Antony
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best React Website Builder
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best React Website Builder
Dianne Pena
Exploring the Creative Power of CSS Filters and Blending
Exploring the Creative Power of CSS Filters and Blending
Joan Ayebola
How to Use WebSockets in Node.js to Create Real-time Apps
How to Use WebSockets in Node.js to Create Real-time Apps
Craig Buckler
Best Node.js Framework Choices for Modern App Development
Best Node.js Framework Choices for Modern App Development
Dianne Pena
SaaS Boilerplates: What They Are, And 10 of the Best
SaaS Boilerplates: What They Are, And 10 of the Best
Zain Zaidi
Understanding Cookies and Sessions in React
Understanding Cookies and Sessions in React
Blessing Ene Anyebe
Enhanced Internationalization (i18n) in Next.js 14
Enhanced Internationalization (i18n) in Next.js 14
Emmanuel Onyeyaforo
Essential React Native Performance Tips and Tricks
Essential React Native Performance Tips and Tricks
Shaik Mukthahar
How to Use Server-sent Events in Node.js
How to Use Server-sent Events in Node.js
Craig Buckler
Five Simple Ways to Boost a WooCommerce Site’s Performance
Five Simple Ways to Boost a WooCommerce Site’s Performance
Palash Ghosh
Elevate Your Online Store with Top WooCommerce Plugins
Elevate Your Online Store with Top WooCommerce Plugins
Dianne Pena
Unleash Your Website’s Potential: Top 5 SEO Tools of 2024
Unleash Your Website’s Potential: Top 5 SEO Tools of 2024
Dianne Pena
How to Build a Chat Interface using Gradio & Vultr Cloud GPU
How to Build a Chat Interface using Gradio & Vultr Cloud GPU
Vultr
Enhance Your React Apps with ShadCn Utilities and Components
Enhance Your React Apps with ShadCn Utilities and Components
David Jaja
10 Best Create React App Alternatives for Different Use Cases
10 Best Create React App Alternatives for Different Use Cases
Zain Zaidi
Control Lazy Load, Infinite Scroll and Animations in React
Control Lazy Load, Infinite Scroll and Animations in React
Blessing Ene Anyebe
Building a Research Assistant Tool with AI and JavaScript
Building a Research Assistant Tool with AI and JavaScript
Mahmud Adeleye
Understanding React useEffect
Understanding React useEffect
Dianne Pena
Web Design Trends to Watch in 2024
Web Design Trends to Watch in 2024
Juliet Ofoegbu
Building a 3D Card Flip Animation with CSS Houdini
Building a 3D Card Flip Animation with CSS Houdini
Fred Zugs
How to Use ChatGPT in an Unavailable Country
How to Use ChatGPT in an Unavailable Country
Dianne Pena
An Introduction to Node.js Multithreading
An Introduction to Node.js Multithreading
Craig Buckler
How to Boost WordPress Security and Protect Your SEO Ranking
How to Boost WordPress Security and Protect Your SEO Ranking
Jaya Iyer
Understanding How ChatGPT Maintains Context
Understanding How ChatGPT Maintains Context
Dianne Pena
Building Interactive Data Visualizations with D3.js and React
Building Interactive Data Visualizations with D3.js and React
Oluwabusayo Jacobs
JavaScript vs Python: Which One Should You Learn First?
JavaScript vs Python: Which One Should You Learn First?
Olivia GibsonDarren Jones
13 Best Books, Courses and Communities for Learning React
13 Best Books, Courses and Communities for Learning React
Zain Zaidi
5 jQuery.each() Function Examples
5 jQuery.each() Function Examples
Florian RapplJames Hibbard
Implementing User Authentication in React Apps with Appwrite
Implementing User Authentication in React Apps with Appwrite
Yemi Ojedapo
AI-Powered Search Engine With Milvus Vector Database on Vultr
AI-Powered Search Engine With Milvus Vector Database on Vultr
Vultr
Understanding Signals in Django
Understanding Signals in Django
Kabaki Antony
Why React Icons May Be the Only Icon Library You Need
Why React Icons May Be the Only Icon Library You Need
Zain Zaidi
View Transitions in Astro
View Transitions in Astro
Tamas Piros
Getting Started with Content Collections in Astro
Getting Started with Content Collections in Astro
Tamas Piros
What Does the Java Virtual Machine Do All Day?
What Does the Java Virtual Machine Do All Day?
Peter Kessler
Become a Freelance Web Developer on Fiverr: Ultimate Guide
Become a Freelance Web Developer on Fiverr: Ultimate Guide
Mayank Singh
Layouts in Astro
Layouts in Astro
Tamas Piros
.NET 8: Blazor Render Modes Explained
.NET 8: Blazor Render Modes Explained
Peter De Tender
Mastering Node CSV
Mastering Node CSV
Dianne Pena
A Beginner’s Guide to SvelteKit
A Beginner’s Guide to SvelteKit
Erik KückelheimSimon Holthausen
Brighten Up Your Astro Site with KwesForms and Rive
Brighten Up Your Astro Site with KwesForms and Rive
Paul Scanlon
Which Programming Language Should I Learn First in 2024?
Which Programming Language Should I Learn First in 2024?
Joel Falconer
Managing PHP Versions with Laravel Herd
Managing PHP Versions with Laravel Herd
Dianne Pena
Accelerating the Cloud: The Final Steps
Accelerating the Cloud: The Final Steps
Dave Neary
An Alphebetized List of MIME Types
An Alphebetized List of MIME Types
Dianne Pena
The Best PHP Frameworks for 2024
The Best PHP Frameworks for 2024
Claudio Ribeiro
11 Best WordPress Themes for Developers & Designers in 2024
11 Best WordPress Themes for Developers & Designers in 2024
SitePoint Sponsors
Top 9 Best WordPress AI Plugins of 2024
Top 9 Best WordPress AI Plugins of 2024
Dianne Pena
20+ Tools for Node.js Development in 2024
20+ Tools for Node.js Development in 2024
Dianne Pena
The Best Figma Plugins to Enhance Your Design Workflow in 2024
The Best Figma Plugins to Enhance Your Design Workflow in 2024
Dianne Pena
Harnessing the Power of Zenserp for Advanced Search Engine Parsing
Harnessing the Power of Zenserp for Advanced Search Engine Parsing
Christopher Collins
Build Your Own AI Tools in Python Using the OpenAI API
Build Your Own AI Tools in Python Using the OpenAI API
Zain Zaidi
The Best React Chart Libraries for Data Visualization in 2024
The Best React Chart Libraries for Data Visualization in 2024
Dianne Pena
7 Free AI Logo Generators to Get Started
7 Free AI Logo Generators to Get Started
Zain Zaidi
Turn Your Vue App into an Offline-ready Progressive Web App
Turn Your Vue App into an Offline-ready Progressive Web App
Imran Alam
Clean Architecture: Theming with Tailwind and CSS Variables
Clean Architecture: Theming with Tailwind and CSS Variables
Emmanuel Onyeyaforo
How to Analyze Large Text Datasets with LangChain and Python
How to Analyze Large Text Datasets with LangChain and Python
Matt Nikonorov
6 Techniques for Conditional Rendering in React, with Examples
6 Techniques for Conditional Rendering in React, with Examples
Yemi Ojedapo
Introducing STRICH: Barcode Scanning for Web Apps
Introducing STRICH: Barcode Scanning for Web Apps
Alex Suzuki
Using Nodemon and Watch in Node.js for Live Restarts
Using Nodemon and Watch in Node.js for Live Restarts
Craig Buckler
Task Automation and Debugging with AI-Powered Tools
Task Automation and Debugging with AI-Powered Tools
Timi Omoyeni
Quick Tip: Understanding React Tooltip
Quick Tip: Understanding React Tooltip
Dianne Pena
12 Outstanding AI Tools that Enhance Efficiency & Productivity
12 Outstanding AI Tools that Enhance Efficiency & Productivity
Ilija Sekulov
React Performance Optimization
React Performance Optimization
Blessing Ene Anyebe
Introducing Chatbots and Large Language Models (LLMs)
Introducing Chatbots and Large Language Models (LLMs)
Timi Omoyeni
Migrate to Ampere on OCI with Heterogeneous Kubernetes Clusters
Migrate to Ampere on OCI with Heterogeneous Kubernetes Clusters
Ampere Computing
Scale Your React App with Storybook and Chromatic
Scale Your React App with Storybook and Chromatic
Daine Mawer
10 Tips for Implementing Webflow On-page SEO
10 Tips for Implementing Webflow On-page SEO
Milan Vracar
Create Dynamic Web Experiences with Interactive SVG Animations
Create Dynamic Web Experiences with Interactive SVG Animations
Patricia Egyed
5 React Architecture Best Practices for 2024
5 React Architecture Best Practices for 2024
Sebastian Deutsch
How to Create Animated GIFs from GSAP Animations
How to Create Animated GIFs from GSAP Animations
Paul Scanlon
Aligning Teams for Effective User Onboarding Success
Aligning Teams for Effective User Onboarding Success
Himanshu Sharma
How to use the File System in Node.js
How to use the File System in Node.js
Craig Buckler
Laravel vs CodeIgniter: A Comprehensive Comparison
Laravel vs CodeIgniter: A Comprehensive Comparison
Dianne Pena
Essential Tips and Tricks for Coding HTML Emails
Essential Tips and Tricks for Coding HTML Emails
Rémi Parmentier
How to Create a Sortable and Filterable Table in React
How to Create a Sortable and Filterable Table in React
Ferenc Almasi
WooCommerce vs Wix: Which Is Best for Your Next Online Store
WooCommerce vs Wix: Which Is Best for Your Next Online Store
Priyanka Prajapati
GCC Guide for Ampere Processors
GCC Guide for Ampere Processors
John O’Neill
Navigating Data Management: Warehouses, Lakes and Lakehouses
Navigating Data Management: Warehouses, Lakes and Lakehouses
Leonid Chashnikov
Get the freshest news and resources for developers, designers and digital creators in your inbox each week