"PHP is dead / dying"
Your Quick Response
"Actually, PHP powers 72.9% of all websites with a known server-side programming language (W3Techs Dec 2025). That's not just legacy sites -it includes Wikipedia, Slack, and Etsy. More importantly, PHP has the PHP Foundation with dedicated funding, multiple paid core developers, and a transparent RFC voting process. Unlike Go (controlled by Google) or Ruby (BDFL model), PHP has independent, democratic governance. 'PHP is dying' has been said since 2010, yet PHP remains the dominant server-side language."
The Facts
Market Dominance
PHP powers 72.9% of all websites with a known server-side programming language (W3Techs Dec 2025). While there has been gradual decline from ~77% over recent years, PHP remains the dominant server-side language by a wide margin.
View W3Techs DataActive Development
PHP 8.4 was released in November 2024, continuing the annual release cycle. Each version brings significant improvements in performance, security, and developer experience.
View PHP 8.4 ReleaseThriving Ecosystem
Packagist, the PHP package repository, processes over 2 billion downloads monthly. The ecosystem continues to grow with modern frameworks like Symfony and Laravel leading the way.
View Packagist StatisticsMajor Companies Still Investing
Facebook, Wikipedia, Slack, Etsy, and Mailchimp all continue to run on PHP and actively invest in their PHP infrastructure. These aren't legacy systems -they're actively maintained and scaled.
The PHP Foundation
Unlike many languages, PHP has a professionally funded foundation ensuring its long-term development. The PHP Foundation was established in 2021 by major companies invested in PHP's future.
Funded Development
Dedicated funding for developers working exclusively on PHP core development and language evolution.
Full-Time Core Devs
Multiple paid developers working on PHP internals, ensuring consistent progress and maintenance.
RFC Voting Process
Transparent governance with public RFCs and voting. Every language change is discussed and voted on by ecosystem representatives.
Corporate Sponsors
Backed by Automattic, JetBrains, Laravel, Symfony, Craft CMS, Zend, and many other industry leaders.
Government-Backed Funding
Sovereign Tech Fund (Germany)
The Sovereign Tech Fund, backed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, has invested €205,000 in PHP Foundation. This means an entire nation recognizes PHP as critical digital infrastructure worth investing in.
Why this matters: The Sovereign Tech Fund invests in open source projects that are foundational to Europe's digital infrastructure. Their backing of PHP validates its importance at the governmental level - not just as a popular language, but as essential infrastructure that nations depend on.
Foundation Comparison
| Language | Foundation | Paid Core Devs | Open Governance |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHP | PHP Foundation | Multiple funded | RFC voting |
| Python | Python Software Foundation | ~5 full-time | PEP process |
| Node.js | OpenJS Foundation | Few sponsored | TSC voting |
| Ruby | Ruby Association | Limited | BDFL (Matz) |
| Go | Google (corporate) | Google employees | Google-driven |
PHP's foundation model provides sustainable, independent funding with democratic governance -stronger than most comparable languages.
Historical Context
"PHP is dying" articles start appearing
PHP 7 released with 2x performance improvement
PHP 8 released with JIT compiler, up to 3x faster
PHP 8.4 released, still powering ~73% of the web
The "PHP is dying" narrative has been repeated for 15 years, yet PHP's market share remains dominant.
Key Talking Points
- Market share data from W3Techs shows PHP at 72.9% (Dec 2025), still dominant
- Annual releases since PHP 7 show active, consistent development
- Major tech companies continue investing in PHP infrastructure
- The "PHP is dying" narrative has been proven wrong for 15+ years
- PHP Foundation funds multiple developers to work on PHP core development
- Transparent RFC voting process ensures community-driven language evolution