FrankenPHP: Performance, Promises and Pitfalls

FrankenPHP promises a revolution for PHP applications: A Go-written application server that embeds PHP directly while delivering impressive performance numbers. Yet, as with any new technology, the devil is in the details.

This session offers a critical look at FrankenPHP - not just the shiny benchmarks, but also the architectural decisions and their consequences for production systems.

We will discover why FrankenPHP offers few advantages in classic mode, what makes Worker Mode so interesting, and what conceptual problems arise. An honest analysis for developers who want to understand when FrankenPHP is the right choice.

• FrankenPHP architecture and differences to traditional PHP setups
• Performance comparison: Classic mode vs. Worker Mode
• Worker Mode: key benefits and architectural challenges
• Critical considerations: stability, memory management, and production readiness

This session is designed for PHP developers, system architects, and technical leaders who want to understand how modern PHP application servers work and what impact they can have on existing applications.

Participants should have solid PHP experience and a basic understanding of web server architectures. Knowledge of PHP-FPM, Nginx, or Apache is helpful as these serve as reference points for comparisons.

• Realistic assessment of FrankenPHP performance beyond marketing numbers
• Understanding of Worker Mode concepts and their impact on application design
• Critical analysis of stability and production readiness considerations
• Practical decision guidance for when FrankenPHP is the right choice