Documentation

Everything you need to build with HolyPHP.

Start with a guided introduction, look up language details, then explore the libraries and tools that ship with the project.

Start here

Beginner path · 9 chapters

Learn HolyPHP

From what the language is through installation, variables, types and console input/output.

Guided practice · interactive

Work through examples

Functions, control flow, arrays, classes, memory safety and application libraries.

Source code · complete programs

Browse examples

See working projects and demonstrations from the repository.

Language reference

Syntax & semantics

Language overview

Variables, types, functions, control flow, classes, closures, imports and expressions.

Generated reference

Built-in functions

Search built-in function names, signatures and descriptions.

Commands & options

Command line

Learn how to check, run, build and inspect HolyPHP programs.

Types, ownership and memory

The language combines convenient type inference with optional explicit types and compile-time ownership checks.

Types and signatures

Primitive and composite types, nullable values, function signatures and inference.

Ownership and borrowing

Understand moves, shared ownership, references and the boundaries of unsafe code.

Memory safety lesson

Follow examples that show how the compiler reasons about access and mutation.

Compiler and package workflow

hphp

Check, run and build

Compile and execute a file, produce an executable or inspect compiler output.

Package manager

Install and publish packages

Initialize packages, check entries, pack archives and use the package registry.

Browser IDE ↗

Try code online

Explore examples, edit a program, check it and run it with live console input.

Libraries

ui

Build native windows, controls, forms, menus and interactive views.

Networking & events

async

Use event-driven timers, sockets, HTTP and cooperative asynchronous work.

thread

Use OS threads, channels, synchronization tools and a worker pool.

Real-time connections

websocket

Exchange messages using the WebSocket protocol.

Document rendering

html

Parse HTML and CSS, calculate layout and paint document content.

Developer tools

ide

Explore HolyIDE, a project explorer, editor, palette, terminal and runner.

Packages

Use hphp pkg to search and install packages from the configured registry. The compiler also embeds the libraries shipped in the repository build. The exact set depends on the compiler binary you installed.

hphp pkg help
hphp pkg search
hphp pkg install <name>

Read the package manager guide →

Editor support

The VS Code extension provides HolyPHP syntax highlighting, completions and compiler diagnostics. See the repository’s extension package ↗ for installation and development details.

HolyPHP is actively developed. Some library APIs and platform details may change; use the source and compiler version that match your installed build.