FrankenPHP 1.3: Performance Overhaul, New Developer Tools, and Advanced Metrics

FrankenPHP has unveiled version 1.3, marking a significant leap in PHP server performance and developer experience. This update introduces a host of new features and optimizations. A new blog post published by Kévin Dunglas explains the features included in the release.

The standout improvement is a "54% increase in efficiency" over version 1.2.5, achieved through a major refactor of the thread engine and $_SERVER superglobal handling. Benchmarks confirm this performance boost without requiring user-side adjustments.

A key addition is the "file watcher feature," which allows developers to specify files or directories for automatic monitoring. Changes trigger background worker restarts, eliminating the need for manual server resets. This enhancement leverages the efficient e-dant/watcher library, seamlessly integrating with frameworks like Symfony and Laravel.

Version 1.3 also debuts "dedicated Prometheus metrics," which enable precise monitoring of PHP threads, worker activity, and request processing. These metrics support autoscaling and configuration optimization.

Other highlights include improved error handling for worker failures, the integration of Mercure 0.17 for real-time data pushing, and an easy one-line installation script for static binaries.

Packed with bug fixes and FreeBSD support, FrankenPHP 1.3 is a robust update for developers and production environments alike. The full changelog provides more details.