[Feature Request] Windows CGI API

[Lea-Reift]

As I saw in many other projects (and even participating in a few discutions in here) the uses of fpm apps in a desktop enviroment has been incrementing in the last few months. Unfortunately, the FPM api does not work in windows, but the CGI binary works in most (if not all) the cases. Having a compiled CGI binary would make those multiplatform apps not exclude windows

[henderkes]

I'm open to implement the Linux/macOS side of this, that being said:

Using php on windows in general is a pretty bad idea. Using php-cgi by itself is a pretty bad idea. Both together sounds absolutely horrible, you'll end up beingle able to serve like one request per second, because you're bound to a single request at a time, while each php execution is extremely slow when it has to access a lot of php files. For anyone considering this, I would strongly reconsider the architecture of the project and urge to switch to WSL or docker for deployment.

[Lea-Reift]

you'll end up beingle able to serve like one request per second, because you're bound to a single request at a time, while each php execution is extremely slow when it has to access a lot of php files.

The use case is (at least in what I have seen and need) a embed php server for "desktop" applications. Serving one request at the time is not a big deal. Compiling the CLI with opcache support already gives a big performance increase, but not as good as a cgi implementation.

[henderkes]

That's what the embed SAPI is for - the Desktop application can compile the php runtime right into the program. It's much faster and you don't need to mess around with the cgi protocol.

I don't doubt you have a legitimate use case, I'm just saying that if at all possible, there are much better alternatives that are already supported.

[Lea-Reift]

Embed api is not supported on windows either

[henderkes]

Huh, that should be fixed. It should be possible to build libphp.dll.

[Lea-Reift]

I agree. That really would make the CGI binary unnecessary, but I'm not sure which of both are easy to generate in this case. But if it's not too much to ask, can it be both? :3

[henderkes]

I migrated away from using PHP on Windows around 7 years ago so I'm not maintaining the windows side of the project, but I'm happy to add CGI to Linux and macOS.

[crazywhalecc]

The embed SAPI could be added for Windows, and it has tracked in #442 , but currently I'm also developing under *nix environment, which means the windows support will be slower than *nix.

[Lea-Reift]

@crazywhalecc any info about the CGI api?

[crazywhalecc]

any info about the CGI api?

@Lea-Reift cgi SAPI on *nix looks like easier than windows embed and cgi, I'll try it later.

[Lea-Reift]

@crazywhalecc can I bribe you to make the CGI or embed for windows first? 😭😭😢

[henderkes]

Honestly, I've worked on Windows essentially all my life. PHP on Windows is just awful. Divorce it before you waste too much effort.

It's sad to be in that state, but I don't see it changing. Better use WSL and run linux binaries with it.