Understanding and Building a PHP Interpreter with C

In this course we first explore the background and characteristics of the PHP language and the role and operation of the PHP interpreter.

We then examine the core components of the interpreter such as lexical analysis, syntax analysis, and the virtual machine, delving into their internal implementation mechanisms.

The curriculum also covers how to write each module of the PHP interpreter in C, including the lexer, parser, and VM, and provides a hands‑on project where students implement a simple PHP interpreter to deepen their understanding of the source code.

By the end of the course, participants will have a thorough grasp of how the PHP interpreter works, be able to develop interpreter modules in C, and improve their analytical, problem‑solving, and programming abilities.

The course is suitable for beginners interested in PHP as well as developers who want to dive deeper into the interpreter’s internals.

Chapter 1

Section 1: Introduction to source‑code reading tools and downloading php‑src

Section 2: PHP program execution methods

Section 3: Finding the CLI entry function main and using GDB debugger (part 1)

Section 4: Finding the CLI entry function main and using GDB debugger (part 2)

Section 5: Finding the CLI entry function main and using GDB debugger (part 3)

Section 6: Finding the CLI entry function main and using GDB debugger (part 4)

Section 7: CLI entry function source code – cli_sapi_module global variables