[FFe] Feature Freeze Exception Request for php5-fpm

[dreamcat4]

This is a feature freeze exception request to integrate the php5-fpm packages into Ubuntu 9.10. We've been planning to support FPM alongside the other php-variants for a long time now. However getting the packaging details just took longer than we thought to get right.

I believe the package is ready. php5-fpm comes as a patch file, and new build target to the existing php5 source package.

Now that we have a newer upstream version: https://code.launchpad.net/~dreamcat4/php-fpm/master, we will now be able to support php5-fpm as an ubuntu package. The new upstream version been developed and tested in a PPA for a while: https://launchpad.net/~dreamcat4/+archive/ppa

PHP-FPM is a SAPI (interface to the php core) which is an improvement upon / evolution of the php-fcgi SAPI. This project has been kicking around for several years now, in the form of a php-patch (per-site compilation). So ideally we'd prefer to do away with that as its the preferred choice for many php and web developer / administrator, and a makes good companion to nginx webserver.

For more information, see: Bug #397721: [needs-packaging] php-fpm

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Subscribing motu-release

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

What is PHP upstream's position on this? Why isn't it shipped as part of PHP?

[dreamcat4 (dreamcat4)]

On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 4:25 PM, Scott Kitterman<email address hidden> wrote:
> What is PHP upstream's position on this?  Why isn't it shipped as part of PHP?

Good questions - keep them coming!

Perhaps these concerns are about official support to help understand
risks of incompatibilities / breakages / lack of support in future?
So i can answer better in a more round-about way:

The php-sapi (the frontend API interface part of php) is very mature
now. It allows for FPM to be very well isolated from the php
interpreter. Indeed for FPM we aren't patching even a single php
source file anymore. (instead FPM will links against the php library
object files). Php SAPI interface is what FPM implements (as a
replacement to the fcgi part of php). This is a mature area of the
source code for some years its changed little / infrequently. Even
today we are in a ready position for PHP5.3, and PHP6 because these
future versions are known to keep the same sapi interface.

From what i can gather there was a direction taken after a meeting
with the PHP/PECL developers. The author of the FPM SAPI (Andrei
Nigmatulin) felt confident that keeping FPM remain a standalone
companion to php was the most effective way to maintain the FPM SAPI
code into the future. And after examining his code a little, we can
see the reasoning. For more information / discussion about this topic
it may be best to contact Andrei Nigmatulin (direct gmail, and/or
subscribe aknight). And I'll be on the MOTU irc channel the rest of
today for any more questions fielded my way.

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

Next question: Why can't this wait for Karmic +1?

[dreamcat4 (dreamcat4)]

On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 7:32 PM, Scott Kitterman<email address hidden> wrote:
> Next question: Why can't this wait for Karmic +1?

Here are (somewhat repeated) the benefits:

1) Karmic conincides better with the availability of 256MB VPS
servers, 'cloud'. I performed searches with twitter and google, for
users who are trying to install FPM. The demand seems to have gone up
significantly over the last 2 month. It seems there is a real demand
ramping up for this package.

2) We would loose momentum / harder to pick up again. As packager for
FPM I believe there's no further to do on the php5-fpm (so over the
next window) it would be a shame to catch the maximum delay, and also
have little or no improvement to show for it.

3) Ubuntu can be proud to have the latest / best PHP ahead of other
Linux distributions (yet again). This particular PHP is the best
best-in-class for effeciency, speed, performance. A good way to think
of it is like the difference between the apache and nginx webservers.

4) Genuinely there seems to be a growing and strong demand for fpm
(wheras a declining demand for the others like fcgi and apache).

5) From the other side of the coin, we can ride that wave and build
momentum (rather than be loosing it) with the legitimate user base. It
really makes for a core / essential component to the ubuntu-server
distribution. Overall it may be worthwhile to consider prioitizing
this package rather than to delay its widespread availability.

6) We expect there to be a continuing demand for a php server
solution, many big projects use it. Timelines aside, this demand
exists as much for Karmic equally as for any future ubuntu release
coming after it. We appreciate that this packaging request comes after
the official deadline. Apologies, but here to help these efforts any
way we can.

Best regards,

dreamcat4
<email address hidden>

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

My reaction pretty well matches the one you've gotten from Debian so far:

"
Please get the patch merged into PHP upstream and then file a wishlist
bug on the php5 package to update it to the latest upstream."

[dreamcat4 (dreamcat4)]

On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 9:06 PM, Scott Kitterman<email address hidden> wrote:
> My reaction pretty well matches the one you've gotten from Debian so
> far:
>
> "
> Please get the patch merged into PHP upstream and then file a wishlist
> bug on the php5 package to update it to the latest upstream."

Well that's a fairly recent development Scott and actually the first
response I've seen from debian. I should point out that debian people
are still on php-5.2.9 for the foreseeable so couldn't have this FPM
yet, as it only works for 5.2.10 and later.

I shall take your suggestion to PHP internals, and see if they care
about all this same project / seperate project dilemma. They may come
back either way.

We would still need this exception for karmic however.

Best regards,

dreamcat4
<email address hidden>

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

Let us know how it comes out. We try not to maintain long term divergence
from Debian.