# PHP, release history and use on real websites. A server-side programming language that powers WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and most e-commerce platforms. It is often revealed by the X-Powered-By header including the version. - **Status:** Stable. Actively developed, PHP 8.x; old 7.x versions no longer receive security fixes. - **Category:** [JS/CSS Frameworks](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework) - **First release:** 1995 - **License:** PHP License 3.01 - **Latest version:** 8.5.12 (21 Oct 2026) - **Official website:** https://www.php.net - **Documentation:** https://www.php.net/docs.php - **GitHub:** https://github.com/php/php-src - **Page:** https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/php ## PHP on audited websites 502 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st showed PHP in the X-Powered-By response header (3.0%). Many websites hide this header, so the number counts only the ones that show it. By this count PHP is #6 of the 35 technologies in JS/CSS Frameworks we have seen in audits. ### Websites running PHP vs all websites - **Web score:** 70 (all websites 72) - **SEO:** 81 (all websites 79) - **Security:** 51 (all websites 59) - **Performance:** 64 (all websites 72) - **AI Readiness:** 33 (all websites 31) ### Most used in JS/CSS Frameworks 1. [Tailwind CSS](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/tailwind-css): 34% (5,653) 2. [jQuery](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/jquery): 29% (4,883) 3. [Next.js](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/next-js): 23% (3,836) 4. [React](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/react): 22% (3,626) 5. [Bootstrap](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/bootstrap): 13% (2,198) 6. [PHP](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/php): 3.0% (502) 7. [Lit](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/lit): 2.9% (487) 8. [Astro](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/astro): 2.4% (405) 9. [Vue.js](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/vue-js): 2.2% (373) 10. [Alpine.js](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/alpine-js): 2.0% (341) The number for React counts only websites where Tech Stack detects it directly, not websites built with Next.js, Gatsby, and Remix, which run it too. The number for Vue.js counts only websites where Tech Stack detects it directly, not websites built with Nuxt, which run it too. ## PHP versions and release history 23 release lines since 2000, as listed by endoflife.date. The latest version is 8.5.12, released 21 Oct 2026. Supported according to endoflife.date: 8.5 (active support until 31 Dec 2027, security fixes until 31 Dec 2029), 8.4 (active support until 31 Dec 2026, security fixes until 31 Dec 2028). Security fixes only: 8.3 (security fixes until 31 Dec 2027), 8.2 (security fixes until 31 Dec 2026). | Version | Released | Latest release | Support | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 8.5 | 20 Nov 2025 | 8.5.12 (21 Oct 2026) | Supported, active support until 31 Dec 2027, security fixes until 31 Dec 2029 | | 8.4 | 21 Nov 2024 | 8.4.27 (21 Oct 2026) | Supported, active support until 31 Dec 2026, security fixes until 31 Dec 2028 | | 8.3 | 23 Nov 2023 | 8.3.36 (21 Oct 2026) | Security fixes only, until 31 Dec 2027 | | 8.2 | 8 Dec 2022 | 8.2.35 (21 Oct 2026) | Security fixes only, until 31 Dec 2026 | | 8.1 | 25 Nov 2021 | 8.1.34 (18 Dec 2025) | End of life, since 31 Dec 2025 | | 8.0 | 26 Nov 2020 | 8.0.30 (3 Aug 2023) | End of life, since 26 Nov 2023 | | 7.4 | 28 Nov 2019 | 7.4.33 (3 Nov 2022) | End of life, since 28 Nov 2022 | | 7.3 | 6 Dec 2018 | 7.3.33 (18 Nov 2021) | End of life, since 6 Dec 2021 | | 7.2 | 30 Nov 2017 | 7.2.34 (1 Oct 2020) | End of life, since 30 Nov 2020 | | 7.1 | 1 Dec 2016 | 7.1.33 (24 Oct 2019) | End of life, since 1 Dec 2019 | | 7.0 | 3 Dec 2015 | 7.0.33 (10 Jan 2019) | End of life, since 10 Jan 2019 | | 5.6 | 28 Aug 2014 | 5.6.40 (10 Jan 2019) | End of life, since 31 Dec 2018 | | 5.5 | 20 Jun 2013 | 5.5.38 (21 Jul 2016) | End of life, since 21 Jul 2016 | | 5.4 | 1 Mar 2012 | 5.4.45 (3 Sep 2015) | End of life, since 14 Sep 2015 | | 5.3 | 30 Jun 2009 | 5.3.29 (14 Aug 2014) | End of life, since 14 Aug 2014 | | 5.2 | 2 Nov 2006 | 5.2.17 (6 Jan 2011) | End of life, since 6 Jan 2011 | | 5.1 | 24 Nov 2005 | 5.1.6 (24 Aug 2006) | End of life, since 24 Aug 2006 | | 4.4 | 11 Jul 2005 | 4.4.9 (7 Aug 2008) | End of life, since 7 Aug 2008 | | 5.0 | 13 Jul 2004 | 5.0.5 (5 Sep 2005) | End of life, since 5 Sep 2005 | | 4.3 | 27 Dec 2002 | 4.3.11 (31 Mar 2005) | End of life, since 31 Mar 2005 | | 4.2 | 22 Apr 2002 | 4.2.3 (6 Sep 2002) | End of life, since 6 Sep 2002 | | 4.1 | 10 Dec 2001 | 4.1.2 (12 Mar 2002) | End of life, since 12 Mar 2002 | | 4.0 | 22 May 2000 | 4.0.6 (23 Jun 2001) | End of life, since 23 Jun 2001 | Sources: [endoflife.date](https://endoflife.date/php), checked 8 Nov 2026. ## Other technologies in JS/CSS Frameworks - [TanStack Start](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/tanstack-start): 1.9% of websites - [Nette](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/nette): 1.8% of websites - [Nuxt](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/nuxt): 1.5% of websites - [Angular](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/angular): 1.2% of websites - [Preact](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/preact): 1.2% of websites - [UnoCSS](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/unocss): 1.2% of websites - [Express](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/express): 1.1% of websites - [SvelteKit](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/sveltekit): 1.1% of websites - [ASP.NET](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/asp-net): 1.0% of websites - [Django](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/django): <1% of websites - [HTMX](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/htmx): <1% of websites - [Turbo (Hotwire)](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework/turbo): <1% of websites [All 38 in JS/CSS Frameworks](https://be1st.ai/technologies/framework) ## Questions about PHP ### What is PHP? A server-side programming language that powers WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and most e-commerce platforms. It is often revealed by the X-Powered-By header including the version. The be1st catalog lists PHP under JS/CSS Frameworks. License of PHP: PHP License 3.01. ### What is the latest version of PHP? The latest version of PHP is 8.5.12, released 21 Oct 2026 (source: endoflife.date). ### Which PHP versions are still supported? According to endoflife.date, these PHP release lines are supported: 8.5 (active support until 31 Dec 2027, security fixes until 31 Dec 2029), 8.4 (active support until 31 Dec 2026, security fixes until 31 Dec 2028). These get security fixes only: 8.3 (security fixes until 31 Dec 2027), 8.2 (security fixes until 31 Dec 2026). ### How many websites use PHP? 502 of the 16,845 websites audited by be1st (3.0%) showed PHP in the X-Powered-By header, as of 8 Nov 2026. Websites that hide the header are not counted. ### When was PHP first released? PHP was first released in 1995; the oldest version listed by endoflife.date dates from 2000. ### Is PHP still a modern choice? PHP is a stable, mature choice rather than a new one. Actively developed, PHP 8.x; old 7.x versions no longer receive security fixes. Numbers: latest audit of each of 16,845 websites audited by be1st, as of 8 Nov 2026.