Textpattern CMS support forum
You are not logged in. Register | Login | Help
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Re: Hello Themes!
One other quick point while I’m making some fixes: Themes support currently requires PHP 5.4+. Does anyone think this is going to be a problem to increase the minimum spec for Txp? We can work around it to maintain PHP 5.3 support if the consensus is that it’s too soon to drop support entirely.
Last edited by Bloke (2017-12-29 15:08:40)
The smd plugin menagerie — for when you need one more gribble of power from Textpattern. Bleeding-edge code available on GitHub.
Hire Txp Builders – finely-crafted code, design and Txp
Online
Re: Hello Themes!
Bloke wrote #308474:
One other quick point while I’m making some fixes: Themes support currently requires PHP 5.4+. Does anyone think this is going to be a problem to increase the minimum spec for Txp? We can work around it to maintain PHP 5.3 support if the consensus is that it’s too soon to drop support entirely.
5.3 was officially EOLed on August 14, 2014.
In my own personal space, Dreamhost only offers 5.6, 7.0 and 7.1 (7.0 is the recommended choice.)
I don’t see any reason to support 5.3 if it has become an issue.
Later Addition:
PHP Versions Stats – 2017.2 Edition has PHP Version 5.3 at 0.76%.
Even Later Addition:
Because PHP 7 has proven to provide superior performance, I’m pleased to report that all of the hosting companies we looked at are now providing at least PHP 7.0 support. And, PHP 7.2 is even now available! – What Version of PHP Does your Web Hosting Company Support?
Offline
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
gaekwad wrote #308477:
Indeed. The usage stats don’t add up (source 1 vs source 2, for example) which’ll be down to the vagaries of statistical modelling and how those values were determined on the day. But the message is clear that 5.3 is on its way out so I’ve got no problem pushing our requirements a little higher.
The smd plugin menagerie — for when you need one more gribble of power from Textpattern. Bleeding-edge code available on GitHub.
Hire Txp Builders – finely-crafted code, design and Txp
Online
Re: Hello Themes!
Automattic have a great approach to their WordPress requirements: wordpress.org/about/requirements/
- recommend PHP 7.2 and recent MySQL (or MariaDB)
- accept earlier PHP 5.something and MySQL something
- note there are issues with running older software
I really like this approach. Gunning for the modern stuff (PHP 7.x etc) as a priority subtly changes the branding. A Textpattern branding/comms tweak wouldn’t cost anything code-wise, and just needs some wording changes. Switch the order on textpattern.com/about/119/system-requirements to have the recommended specs first, and bring the library versions up-to-date. The minimum spec is still valid, of course.
My 2c: Textpattern is a clean, flexible, fast CMS that flies along when set up on modern web hosting (PHP 7, recent MySQL derivative, SSD storage, opcache where needed). I say this having worked with a client recently where everything they wrote/used in-house software-wise was PHP 5.3 because that’s all their dev knew to write. They’re hunting down old, crummy hosting that has PHP 5.3.something because that’s less of a hit cost-wise to refactor their code to current standards.
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
gaekwad wrote #308479:
Gunning for the modern stuff (PHP 7.x etc) as a priority subtly changes the branding. A Textpattern branding/comms tweak wouldn’t cost anything code-wise, and just needs some wording changes.
I like this. Let’s do it.
The smd plugin menagerie — for when you need one more gribble of power from Textpattern. Bleeding-edge code available on GitHub.
Hire Txp Builders – finely-crafted code, design and Txp
Online
Re: Hello Themes!
Bloke wrote #308480:
I like this. Let’s do it.
Great! Let’s talk versions…broadly speaking, if we follow the current mainline supported versions in each of Apache, NGINX, MySQL and PHP, we’re looking at:
- Apache httpd 2.4.x
- NGINX 1.13.x
- PHP 7.2.x
- MySQL (Community GPL’d flavour) 5.7.x
How reasonable does that look?
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
PHP 7.2.x is a newer version than mine.
What about PHP 7+?
Yiannis
——————————
NeMe | hblack.art | EMAP | A Sea change | Toolkit of Care
I do my best editing after I click on the submit button.
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
gaekwad wrote #308481:
Great! Let’s talk versions…broadly speaking, if we follow the current mainline supported versions in each of Apache, NGINX, MySQL and PHP, we’re looking at: (…)
Depends on how you word it, but I would loosen your suggestions a little bit (PHP 7.0+ and MySql 5.6.x+). That is the standard (default) for 3 different hosting companies I deal with; only one of them offers PHP 7.1.x as an option.
PS – I run a TXP 4.7dev on Dreamhost with PHP 7.1.something and it works nicely and is very fast (maybe better coding experience on my part helps a little…). It surprised me a bit after upgrading.
Where is that emoji for a solar powered submarine when you need it ?
Sand space – admin theme for Textpattern
phiw13 on Codeberg
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
gaekwad wrote #308481:
- Apache httpd 2.4.x
- NGINX 1.13.x
- PHP 7.2.x
- MySQL (Community GPL’d flavour) 5.7.x
- HTTP: Apache 2.4.x, NginX 1.13.x, Hiawatha 10.7x
While we value Textpattern as the best CMS, despite it is not popular, then we should not ignore the best webserver, because it is not quite popular, too.
Hiawatha is made by PHP, and works fine with MySQL and Textpattern — nothing needs to be improved.
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
Has anyone verified Textpattern on php 7.2 yet? Can we confirm it’s working as expected (I don’t have 7.2 on my local testing machine at the moment).
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
Can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work on 7.2 as there doesn’t appear to be much that’s changed that would affect us. But if someone can or has checked it and can report on the success or otherwise, it would be really useful info, thanks.
The smd plugin menagerie — for when you need one more gribble of power from Textpattern. Bleeding-edge code available on GitHub.
Hire Txp Builders – finely-crafted code, design and Txp
Online
Re: Hello Themes!
colak wrote #308482:
PHP 7.2.x is a newer version than mine.
What about PHP 7+?
It’s newer than mine (7.0), too…and support for it was dropped earlier this month, according to this it’s security fixes only until the end of the year.
Since I’ve derailed the thread already (should we split this off?), my proposal/idea for looking at the current mainline versions is that, whether we like or not, PHP have their support terms…in real terms this doesn’t mean that Textpattern forum folks will stop answering questions about older PHP versions, but the state of PHP will progress at its own rate.
It’s a subtle branding change. There are no doubt valid reasons for the changes made in 7.0, 7.1, and 7.2. Web hosts will always toe the line with stability and performance, and if Textpattern is seen as being ‘PHP7-friendly’, then it’s one less thing on the obscure LAMP app list that I know some hosting companies maintain internally.
Why do hosting companies offer unsupported PHP versions on their servers? Because clients need/request them. Why do they request them? Because they see the System Requirements and know that their beloved LAMP app needs version so-and-so of M(ySQL) and such-and-such P(HP). A(pache) is usually less important (they have a much longer support period).
…which makes me wonder if overlaying the respective library support terms on a single chart would be interesting.
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
philwareham wrote #308485:
Has anyone verified Textpattern on php 7.2 yet? Can we confirm it’s working as expected (I don’t have 7.2 on my local testing machine at the moment).
If I have time later today (likely) I’ll spin up a test server and test latest-and-greatest of each.
Offline
Re: Hello Themes!
phiw13 wrote #308483:
Depends on how you word it, but I would loosen your suggestions a little bit (PHP 7.0+ and MySql 5.6.x+). That is the standard (default) for 3 different hosting companies I deal with; only one of them offers PHP 7.1.x as an option.
I totally agree it’s a wording issue. Briefly, here’s what I envisage, a two or three part system requirements:
- Textpattern runs best (fastest, most responsive, most features, etc – weasel word, perhaps) and recommended to run on the current mainline supported versions of Apache, NGINX, MySQL and PHP.
- Textpattern also runs on the versions of Apache, NGINX, MySQL and PHP released before that, as long as they newer than…
- …the minimum, base level requirements where Textpattern will run, but you’re leaving yourself open to known security issues with those packages.
It seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me to see Phil update various build tools and libraries in GitHub commits, keeping things fresh and up-to-date, and then having to factor in whether stuff works with versions of PHP that are old and known to have vulnerabilities.
I’m absolutely not suggesting we need to only run on the latest and greatest, that’s not remotely viable, but a subtle change to the wording and messaging will show that Textpattern is capable, and up-to-date, and evolving, and active, and so forth.
Offline