PHP 8.1 release tracking

[petecooper]

https://wiki.php.net/todo/php81

At the time of writing, PHP 8.1 GA is expected late November 2021. The first alpha is expected to be tagged tomorrow.

I will endeavour to arm the demo server with a copy of the latest PHP 8.1 cuts as we head towards GA. Given the timescales involved, it looks like a point release of Textpattern 4.8 would be the most straightforward option. With that in mind, I'll set up the patch release branch on the dev-demo server to use PHP 8.1 and leave dev on PHP 8.0, that way we know we have one 'safe' instance.

Do we need a beta release? I know the optics of a beta for a patch release are sort of new territory, but we could perhaps avoid some of the snagging we had on PHP 8.0 if we throw out a beta (or two) for further testing away from the demo sites.

What else do you need from me? Anything?

[Bloke]

A beta (or RC?) might be useful given the debacle dog's breakfast I made of 4.8.6/7 (and I've still found bugs that I've patched in 4.8.8 already... sigh). Anything that can give more widespread official testing would be cool, if people are willing to try it.

Keeping dev on 8.0 for the foreseeable is a great idea. The patches in 4.8.8 that are specific to PHP 8.1 will filter into it anyway as part of the merge process.

Note to self: Don't ever say in an official release document that x.y.z is expected to be the last patch release before the next major/minor.

[petecooper]

Don't ever say in an official release document that x.y.z is expected to be the last patch release before the next major/minor.

Yeah, that will haunt me, not the first time I've thought of that. I've updated the article with a strikethrough for any new readers.

[petecooper]

PHP 8.1.0 alpha 1 compiling now. Need to do some Nginx trickery to make it work alongside PHP 8.0.latest for dev-demo but I'm sure it's possible. Plan B is for a separate subdomain, but I would rather avoid that for the sake of simplicity.

[petecooper]

• PHP 8.1.0 alpha 1, various explode() and preg_split Passing null to parameter errors on viewing all panels #1699
• PHP 8.1: Internal error thrown in admin-side #1700

[petecooper]

Alpha 2 expected today.

Edit: now compiled.

[petecooper]

Alpha 3 expected tomorrow.

Edit: now compiled.

[petecooper]

Beta 1 now compiled. Expecting Beta 2 next Tuesday.

(I was away for a while, and it was wonderful.)

[petecooper]

Tagging with 4.8.8 milestone, see #1720 for release flight plan.

[bloatware]

#1721