# ElephantPHP

> A technical publication about PHP internals, performance, architecture, and production behavior — measurements over assumptions, trade-offs over rules.

- Language: en
- Full text: https://elephantphp.com/llms-full.txt
- Feed: https://elephantphp.com/rss.xml

## Posts

- [PHP-FPM process management in production](https://elephantphp.com/blog/php-fpm-process-management-in-production/) — 2026-08-20 — pm static, dynamic and ondemand, the memory ceiling nothing enforces, and how to size a pool from measurements rather than guesses. (Markdown: https://elephantphp.com/blog/php-fpm-process-management-in-production.md)
- [What compiled DI containers actually buy you](https://elephantphp.com/blog/what-compiled-di-containers-actually-buy-you/) — 2026-08-13 — Container compilation moves reflection from request time to build time. What that removes, what it costs, and when it matters. (Markdown: https://elephantphp.com/blog/what-compiled-di-containers-actually-buy-you.md)
- [PHP arrays are not arrays](https://elephantphp.com/blog/php-arrays-are-not-arrays/) — 2026-08-06 — One structure serves as list, dictionary and set. Packed and hashed layouts, what each costs in memory, and when a conversion happens. (Markdown: https://elephantphp.com/blog/php-arrays-are-not-arrays.md)
- [OPcache, the JIT, and where time actually goes](https://elephantphp.com/blog/opcache-jit-and-where-time-actually-goes/) — 2026-07-30 — OPcache removes compilation, not execution. The JIT reaches arithmetic-heavy code and little else. Where the remaining time lives. (Markdown: https://elephantphp.com/blog/opcache-jit-and-where-time-actually-goes.md)
- [Benchmarking PHP without lying to yourself](https://elephantphp.com/blog/benchmarking-php-without-lying-to-yourself/) — 2026-07-16 — Microbenchmarks measure exactly what you tell them to, which is rarely what you meant. Method, noise, and the numbers worth reporting. (Markdown: https://elephantphp.com/blog/benchmarking-php-without-lying-to-yourself.md)
- [What happens when PHP runs your code](https://elephantphp.com/blog/what-happens-when-php-runs-your-code/) — 2026-07-02 — A request walks from the SAPI to the Zend VM — lexing, compilation to opcodes, the OPcache lookup that skips both, and execution. (Markdown: https://elephantphp.com/blog/what-happens-when-php-runs-your-code.md)

## Pages

- [About ElephantPHP](https://elephantphp.com/about/) — A publication about PHP internals, performance, architecture and production behavior, written by Alden Pike.
- [Privacy Policy](https://elephantphp.com/privacy/) — What data this site processes, on what legal basis, for how long, and the rights you have over it under the GDPR.
- [Cookie Policy](https://elephantphp.com/cookies/) — This site sets no cookies. The one thing it stores on your device is your theme choice, and why that needs no consent banner.
- [Terms of Use](https://elephantphp.com/terms/) — The terms this site is published under, including how its articles and its code samples may be reused.