feat: boot from Composer's autoloader (closes #21), plus ClassSpecializer::evict() and Core::sizeOfType() - #183
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…pe(), ClassSpecializer::evict() Dependant packages were reaching behind the API line for operations that had no named entry point: probing Core::$executor to ask "is the engine booted", deleting class-table buckets through the @internal HashTable::delete(), and pairing Core::sizeof(Core::type(...)) so a raw FFI\CType crossed the boundary. - ClassSpecializer::evict(): the destroying counterpart of specialize(). Removes the class-table bucket so destroy_zend_class() dismantles the entry now, while op_array-refcounted bodies shared with the source stay alive. Refuses internal and shared-memory (immutable/preloaded) entries. The explicit-teardown test now exercises it. - Core::sizeOfType(): the named form of the sizeof(type(...)) pair; Core::type() is @internal so no raw CType crosses the API line anymore. - Core::isUsable(): non-throwing projection of the boot guard, for consumers and test bootstraps deciding whether engine paths can run here at all - hand-rolled ffi.enable checks get the supported 'preload' mode wrong. - AGENTS.md: a 'Consuming z-engine from another package' section drawing the line those leaks crossed because it was never written down. No ReflectionClass::evict() mirror on purpose: an instance method destroying the entry its own wrapper points at invites use-after-free on $this. Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_019TGQqR7ByjHrVSYKVHPrkJ
lisachenko
commented
Aug 9, 2026
lisachenko
commented
Aug 9, 2026
lisachenko
commented
Aug 9, 2026
Closes #21, open since 2019 on one blocker recorded in its own comments: 'the composer autoloader calls Core::init() before preload initialization'. An unconditional boot binds the definitions with FFI::cdef(), which lasts for the preload request only, and leaves an engine behind that turns the script's own Core::preload() into a no-op - the server starts and every request after it fails. bootstrap.php (autoload.files) therefore recognises the preload stage and serves it with Core::preload(), whose FFI::load() publishes the definitions under FFI_SCOPE for the life of the server; everything else gets Core::init(). The stage is identified by the one fact that distinguishes it - during preloading the script named by opcache.preload is the first file the process included. Verified end to end on a matching PHP line: FFI::scope('ZEngine') resolves in the request that follows, and does not when the preload script skips the boot. A host that cannot run the engine (no ext-ffi, ffi.enable=0, wrong PHP minor, no definitions for the platform) is left uninitialized in silence - throwing from an autoloaded file would break static analysis, FFI-disabled test jobs and composer-time tooling at require. Nothing is lost: Core::init() is idempotent, so code that needs the engine calls it and gets the same explanation this file swallowed. ZENGINE_AUTOBOOT=0 skips the boot entirely. Core::preload() is now idempotent too, so the explicit call an existing opcache.preload script makes after requiring the autoloader stays harmless. Review feedback on the API additions: - Core::isUsable() dropped - init() and isInitialized() are enough - evict() reads the class through ReflectionClass::isUserDefined()/ isImmutable()/isPreloaded() instead of ce_flags off the raw entry; the new isPreloaded() sits beside isImmutable() - the consumer section folded into 'Public APIs never leak CData', keeping the @internal / FFI-CData part Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_019TGQqR7ByjHrVSYKVHPrkJ
PHP does not support opcache preloading on Windows at all, so both preload cases failed there: the engine reported 'Preloading is not supported on Windows', and the scratch script path went through a short name (RUNNER~1) whose tilde broke -d ini parsing before that. Guarded with the same skip the repository already uses for opcache.preload (issue #119), on the two cases that need it rather than the whole class - the opt-out and silent-failure cases are plain autoload behaviour and keep running everywhere. The --fail-on-skipped opcache gate runs on Linux and macOS, where preloading exists and neither case skips. Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_019TGQqR7ByjHrVSYKVHPrkJ
lisachenko
marked this pull request as ready for review
August 9, 2026 21:29
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Why
An audit of
userland-php-generics(the reference consumer) found it reaching behind z-engine's API line for operations that had no named entry point: probingisset(Core::$executor)to ask "is the engine booted", deleting class-table buckets through the@internalHashTable::delete(), pairingCore::sizeof(Core::type(...))so a rawFFI\CTypecrossed the boundary, and re-deriving "can the engine run here" fromini_get('ffi.enable').Review feedback then pointed at the better fix for most of that: don't make consumers initialize the engine at all.
Closes #21 — automatic initialization via Composer
bootstrap.php, registered throughautoload.files, boots the bridge.require vendor/autoload.phpis now the whole boot for every consumer.Issue #21 has been open since 2019 on one blocker, recorded in its own comments: "Preloading breaks all the things — because composer autoloader calls the
Core::init()before preload initialization." That is real. An unconditional boot binds the definitions withFFI::cdef(), which lasts for the preload request only, and leaves an engine behind that turns the script's ownCore::preload()into a no-op — so the server starts and every request after it fails.So the bootstrap recognises the preload stage and serves it with
Core::preload(), whoseFFI::load()publishes the definitions underFFI_SCOPEfor the life of the server; everything else getsCore::init(). The stage is identified by the one fact that distinguishes it: during preloading, the script named byopcache.preloadis the first file the process included.Verified end to end on a matching PHP line, not just asserted:
Core::preload()is now idempotent too, so the explicit call an existingopcache.preloadscript makes right after requiring the autoloader stays harmless.Failure is silent, and explained where it matters
A host without ext-ffi, with
ffi.enable=0, on an unsupported PHP minor or platform can still legitimately autoload this package — static analysis, FFI-disabled test jobs, composer-time tooling. Throwing from an autoloaded file breaks all of them atrequire, so the boot is left undone in silence. Nothing is lost:Core::init()is idempotent, so code that needs the engine calls it and gets the same explanatoryRuntimeExceptionthe bootstrap swallowed.ZENGINE_AUTOBOOT=0skips the boot entirely.Note z-engine's own test bootstrap deliberately still calls
Core::init()explicitly — every test here drives the engine, so an unsupported host has to say so once rather than through hundreds of confusing failures.AutoBootTestproves the automatic path in child processes, where it can be observed without that line interfering.Also in this PR
ClassSpecializer::evict(string $className): bool— the destroying counterpart ofspecialize(): removes the class-table bucket sodestroy_zend_class()dismantles the entry now, while op_array-refcounted bodies shared with the source stay alive. Reads the class throughReflectionClass::isUserDefined()/isImmutable()/isPreloaded()— noce_flagsfrom the outside.ReflectionClass::isPreloaded()is added besideisImmutable().Core::sizeOfType(string $type): int— the named form of thesizeof(type(...))pair;Core::type()is now@internal, so no rawCTypecrosses the API line.AGENTS.md— the@internal/ FFI-CData rule for dependent packages folded into Public APIs never leak CData.Deliberately no
ReflectionClass::evict()mirror: an instance method destroying the entry its own wrapper points at invites use-after-free on$this->pointer.Review comments
All four addressed in b1c0b92 —
Core::isUsable()dropped (the bootstrap removed the need for it rather than relocating it),evict()moved onto the reflection API, AGENTS.md section folded. Replies are on the threads.Notes for review
masterso the 8.5 line carries the same API and bootstrap.phpstanandphp-cs-fixergreen; auto-boot, opt-out, silent-failure and the preload→request path each exercised directly. The suite itself needs a PHP 8.4 host for this line — covered by CI.🤖 Generated with Claude Code
https://claude.ai/code/session_019TGQqR7ByjHrVSYKVHPrkJ