[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #57345: Bump the minimum required PHP version to 7.2

[WordPress Trac]

#57345: Bump the minimum required PHP version to 7.2
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 Reporter:  SergeyBiryukov                       |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  task (blessed)                       |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  Future
                                                 |  Release
Component:  General                              |     Version:
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch has-unit-tests 2nd-        |     Focuses:
  opinion                                        |
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Comment (by knutsp):

 Replying to [comment:45 azaozz]:
 > Replying to [comment:34 SergeyBiryukov]:
 > > maybe we could do this in two steps for versions that are already
 below 5%?
 > >
 > > * Announce dropping PHP 5.6 support in WP 6.2
 > > * Announce dropping PHP 7.0 and 7.1 support in WP 6.3
 >
 > Hmm, that may work but what would be the benefits for the WP users and
 contributors in bumping to PHP 7.0, and then again to 7.2 in few months?
 Frankly not seeing any significant
 [https://www.php.net/manual/en/migration70.new-features.php new features
 in PHP 7.0] that would help the WP codebase much.

 I take it as the stats for the individual PHP versions to jump out of
 showing lower than 5% in no longer the obstacle to bump the minimum
 version. The jump also has to have benefits and significant new features
 (to help the codebase). This means maybe wanting to jump several versions
 ahead at once, like to 7.4, while the percentage using versions left
 behind piles up.

 It seems like the is a burden to bump minimum PHP, so it must be enough to
 gain.

 Each bump is a very powerful signal, both to users and hosting companies,
 to act. And, of course, the recommended version to upgrade to will not be
 7.0, but 8.2 or at least 7.4. Then some burden is taken off the load for
 the next bump, like 7-8 months later. Since 7.0 + 7.1 is so minimal, next
 can be 7.2, then 7.4.

 1. What is actually the burden, for core team, and other teams, of jumping
 minimum PHP?
 2. As I pointed out in my #comment:72 the are a few very interesting new
 features, like null coalescing, and salar types for functions, that can
 start being implemented immeditaly, and at the same time, "forcing" PHP7
 upon users, now, will (just) make their sites significantly faster and
 less memory consuming.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/57345#comment:79>
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