What is and where is the runtime environment for 'PHP' like the 'Node.js' runtime environment for 'Javascript' to build server-side web applications?

Question

I'm a PHP Developer by profession and I've never used Node.js in my life.

But I know that Node.js is a cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that allows developers to build server-side and network applications with JavaScript .

The above statement created one query in my mind that like Node.js is there any runtime environment exist for the server-side programming language PHP ?

I've never heard that PHP also has a runtime environment which I always hear in case of Javascript which has Node.js as a runtime environment to build server-side web applications.

Someone please clear my doubt in case of runtime environment for PHP . If it's present where it is and what it comprises of? If not, then explain how does PHP allow to build server-side applications without having a runtime environment ?

Following is my current setup for PHP :

I'm using PHP 7.4.2 on my laptop that runs on Windows 10 Home Single Language 64-bit operating system .

I've installed the latest version of XAMPP installer on my laptop which has installed the Apache/2.4.41 (Win64) and PHP 7.4.2

Answer 1

I'm not sure to understand yours questions, but i'll try to answer you properly. As en interpreted language I think PHP could not be considered to have runtime environment.

I'll assume by runtime environment you may reference to a complete environment isolated from the other part of the system ( like Java VM)

You can use generally PHP in two main ways: - with a web server (websites, web apps..) - a standalone executable (CLI scripts)

1. With a web server, you can not assume this a runtime environment as it come separately : webserver + php module for this webserver

2. As a standalone executable, you may have environment variables and others configurable environment elements related but this not isolated from the rest of the operating system:

   • It doesn't execute is own bytecode (however you could use OPCache
   • It doesn't manage it own threads : same as above you can use extension

   It's complety différent from NodeJS which use a VM(V8) from my point of view.