PHP Version 8.3 came out nearly a month ago (23 November 2023).
With 8.1 no longer actively supported (except security updates), I thought it might be time to upgrade.
Is anyone within the forum using PHP version 8.3 with Virtualmin/Webmin?
Supposedly there is about a 7% average speed gain by using 8.3 as opposed to 8.2
I use Drupal 10 as my primary CMS and it is supposedly up to 35% faster then 8.2.
I am planning to install it on a test site, but figured I would check first to see if there are any issues/quirks in getting it up and operational via Virtualmin/Webmin.
Most of my servers are using Ubuntu 22.04 (a few on Debian 12) and most also use the Ondrej
repository for PHP updates/upgrades.
PHP doesn’t run “on Virtualmin” and Virtualmin does not use PHP for anything, so any questions about PHP should be about your apps and your OS and the repos you’re using. Virtualmin don’t care.
I think what @Joe was saying is that it depends on which OS you are using and which PHP version your package manager is putting out. I use Ubuntu 22.04 and version 8.3 has been loaded by Virtualmin. But at the end of the day it is down to you which PHP version new or old you wish to use.
As for claimed speed gains, I am a skeptic, and not a big user or fan of PHP. I suspect most developers of apps using PHP are still learning catch up. I would be very wary of upgrading before those apps are upgraded - major version upgrades can come with a lot of promise but also potential risk.
Well a lot of folks are using Wordpress and its yelling at you that it wants the newer PHP 8 . I believe this is important to note. Many many instances of Wordpress exist it’s likely the #1 used software. So it doesn’t come as a surprise many people will be upgrading to the respective OS’s thus forcing virtualmin, cloudmin, webmin, usermin to work through some of the compatibility issues and upgrades at this point. Stuff will be broken, kernels will be different, and potential risks will be assumed. There are drivers of upgrades and this I feel will be a main driver. Often upgrades mitigate known security risks in older versions of software while adding functionality that may introduce new bugs just the same that would be a correct assessment but I think the reason we’ll see more of a push from users is believe it or not due to Wordpress. I’m kind of in the same boat but I’ve always wanted to give Cloudmin a shot and I’m glad I did thus far that was part of what motivated me the warning message from Wordpress kind of made that choice for me a little sooner than I would’ve like to albeit I think that’s often the case. Upgrades and updates can be painfully costly in time spent and like it or not something in the apple cart most certainly will be upset yep. Couldn’t agree more I just believe the main motivator here will be Wordpress and there isn’t no way around it we’ll see these questions and with good reason.
I think @Joe made it perfectly clear.
Virtualmin does not use PHP so it doesn’t care which version you implement.
A new clean install conveniently provides the latest version of PHP
(which as I said is currently 8.3 on an Ubuntu 22.04 so is there already in the repository)
You can install multiple versions of PHP (and that might be a sensible step - but with addition maintenance - as your apps upgrade)
Everyone, thanks for the feedback. I realize Webmin and Virtualmin are written in PERL, but each version of PHP can have impacts to other software, some of which is managed/configured by Virtualmin or Webmin. Anyway, I did install PHP version 8.3 and associated extensions on one of my servers. Software managed via Webmin / Virtualmin had no issues with it. Drupal CMS is more responsive using 8.3 vice 8.2. I don’t use Wordpress, so can’t comment, other then in some other CMS forums, it is also stated to have better performance.
Server API|FPM/FastCGI (mpm_event)
Configuration File (php.ini) Path|/etc/php/8.3/fpm
Loaded Configuration File|/etc/php/8.3/fpm/php.ini
Thanks again for all responses, and Happy Holidays!