Changes/php85

PHP 8.5

Summary

Update the PHP stack in Fedora to the latest version 8.5.x

Owner

• Name: Remi Collet and PHP SIG
• Email: remi at fedoraproject dot org

Current status

• Targeted release: Fedora Linux 44
• Last updated: 2025-11-20
• Announced
• Discussion thread
• FESCo Issue: #3456
• Tracker Bug: #2388204
• Release Notes Issue: #259

• A testing SCL (and soon testing module) is available in my repository
• List of extensions compatibility list
• Upstream schedule for 8.5

• 2025-09-25: PHP 8.5.0RC1 tagged with final API/ABI
• 2025-10-09: PHP 8.5.0RC2 tagged
• 2025-10-15: PHP 8.5.0RC2 built in rawhide with all extensions
• 2025-10-22: PHP 8.5.0RC3 built in rawhide
• 2025-11-05: PHP 8.5.0RC4 built in rawhide
• 2025-11-12: PHP 8.5.0RC5 built in rawhide
• 2025-11-19: PHP 8.5.0 GA built in rawhide

Detailed Description

Update the PHP stack in Fedora to latest version 8.5.x.

Fedora has a 6 months cycle, PHP a 1 year cycle, our common practice for some years:

• 2 Fedora cycles for each PHP minor release (exceptions below)
• 3 Fedora cycles for latest minor (e.g. 5.6 or 7.4) to give more time before next major
• 1 Fedora cycle for first major (e.g. 7.0 or 8.0)

Fedora 40 and 41 have PHP 8.3, Fedora 42 and 43 have PHP 8.4.

As this version should be the last 8.x (before 9.0), it should be in Fedora 44, 45 and 46. If the PHP project chooses to do an 8.6, it should land in 46.

Benefit to Fedora

Provides the latest PHP version to developers and system administrators.

Scope

• Proposal owners: Check Koschei status. Test with latest version to ensure compatibility. Work with upstream on bug fixing. Needed mass rebuild (C extensions) done by change owner.

• Other developers: N/A (not a System Wide Change)

• Release engineering:#Releng issue number

• List of deliverables: N/A (not a System Wide Change)

• Policies and guidelines: N/A (not a System Wide Change)

• Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

Upgrade/compatibility impact

N/A (not a System Wide Change)

How To Test

• The PHP stack (extensions and libraries) are monitored by Koschei, see the Koschei PHP group
• install and play with your web applications

User Experience

Developers and system administrators will have the great benefit or running the latest PHP version.

Dependencies

All php-* packages (and some *-php)

Contingency Plan

• Contingency mechanism: Drop not compatible (and not fixable) packages.

• Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
• Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change), Yes/No
• Blocks product? product

Documentation

• UPGRADING (PHP 8.5 upgrade notes)
• UPGRADING.INTERNALS (PHP 8.5 internals upgrade notes)
• Key Features in PHP 8.5 (Release page)