Microsoft's support for PHP on Windows has significantly improved, with enhancements such as FastCGI for IIS, the introduction of the Wincache extension, and inclusion in the Microsoft Web Platform. Developers can now easily install and run PHP applications, benefiting from increased performance and reliability. The collaboration with the PHP community has led to ongoing testing, bug fixes, and the establishment of a dedicated PHP on Windows resource site.

1. By Josh Holmes WORDPRESS ON WINDOWS…

2. Background What’s New Microsoft and Open Source Technologies AGENDA

3. PHP on Windows was: Slow Unreliable Not Compatible IIS support for PHP was a joke: CGI implementation was SLOW ISAPI implementation was unreliable Thread-safe dependency never would have worked anyway No URL rewriting support HISTORY - (PRIOR TO 2006)

4. FastCGI support for IIS 7.0, 6.0, 5.11: Finally a fast and reliable way to run PHP on Windows SQL Driver for PHP Reliable, scalable integration with Microsoft SQL Server Development continues URL Rewrite in IIS 7.0 Fully features and performant URL rewriting engine HISTORY - (2006-2008) Pigs fly !

5. Microsoft Employees Submit to PHP Core Microsoft Employees Submit to Open Source PHP Application Wordpress PHP included in the “Microsoft Web Platform” PHP applications included in the Windows Web Application Gallery WinCache extension for PHP ships PRESENT (2009 --> ) More Pigs Fly

6. Configures IIS FastCGI on all Windows Versions Sets the recommended PP configuration directives Adds index.php as a default document in IIS configuration PHP INSTALLER On Windows - IIS FastCGI becomes the default

7. PHP IS PART OF THE MICROSOFT WEB PLATFORM

8. Drives the standard PHP Installer Downloads the installer from http://windows.php.net Always the latest 5.2.x release PHP 5.3 will be offered soon But not yet ? PHP IN THE MICROSOFT WEB PLATFORM INSTALLER Technical Details

9. PHP APPLICATIONS IN THE WEB PI

10. Applications are hosted on their own web sites. The package includes a manifest file that tells the Web PI what to do: Copy Files Set file access permissions Create a database user Create a database schema Launch the application’s install page. PHP APPS IN THE MICROSOFT WEB PI Technical Details

11. WINCACHE EXTENSION FOR PHP

12. Caches PHP opcode and file content in shared memory API’s for refreshing the cache and for cache stats Supports PHP 5.2.X and PHP 5.3. WINCACHE FOR PHP Technical Details

13. Legal barrios being removed. Working with the PHP Community Windows Specific Testing and Bug Fixes PHP Installer Fixes Testing PHP Release Packages Working with PHP App Communities PHP Apps in the Microsoft Web App Gallery (Add Yours !) IIS Specific Fixes Submitted to WordPress IIS Specific fixes submitted to SilverStripe New Open Source Foundation MICROSOFT AND OSS COMMUNITY Hell Freezing Over ? 

14. The Windows version of PHP now exposes a set of constants prefixed PHP_WINDOWS_* . A list of these constants and their usage can be found at http://docs.php.net/manual/en/info.constants.php Warning Support for the ISAPI module has been dropped. Use the improved FastCGI SAPI module instead. Note: A new dedicated site for PHP on Windows is now available, including downloads, release candidates, and snapshots in various flavors (thread-safe/not-thread-safe, VC6/VC9, x86/x64). http://windows.php.net/ . User Contributed Notes “ Well worth the effort to set up fast cgi on windows. No more lockups with php or 40 procs running...and 1 killing IIS. Some PHP INI vars can't be overriden in your php files, so read up (like timeout). 8 months and no more locked up iis.“ “ Fast CGI is available for IIS6. Reading the IIS website (which is more appropriate since it is server specific) yields plenty of results regarding PHP setup under the fastCGI module. They even have an entire domain associated with PHP.” PHP ON WINDOWS PROGRESS

15. How WinCache makes PHP run faster http://blogs.iis.net/ksingla/archive/2009/09/19/how-wincache-make-php-run-faster.aspx Using WinCache Extensions for PHP http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/678/using-windows-cache-extension-for-php/ Changes Made to PHP 5.3 to Support Windows http://docs.php.net/manual/en/migration53.windows.php Migrating from PHP 5.2.x to PHP 5.3.x http://docs.php.net/manual/en/migration53.php RESOURCES

16. Getting up and running with PHP and PHP Applications on Windows is easy. PHP Apps on Windows are fully functional and are easy to install WinCache offers a significant performance gain: Customers report up to 3X throughput improvement SUMMARY Info at : http://php.iis.net and http://www.microsoft.com/web/php

17. THANKS [email_address] @joshholmes http://www.joshholmes.com