Runtime Briefing — PHP 8.3 Release
PHP 8.3 reached general availability on 23 November 2023 with readonly classes, typed class constants, and json_validate(), requiring review of framework compatibility and static analysis rules.
Executive briefing: The PHP project shipped PHP 8.3.0 on , expanding type-safety features and runtime introspection.
Language additions
- Readonly classes. Applying
readonlyat the class level enforces immutability patterns that impact DTOs and domain models. - Typed class constants. Strongly typed constants improve tooling feedback and prevent accidental value coercion.
json_validate(). New native function accelerates schema validation without decoding payloads, affecting input sanitisation pipelines.
Upgrade guidance
- Audit application code and libraries for reliance on dynamic class features that conflict with readonly semantics.
- Update static analysis (Psalm, PHPStan) and code-style tooling to recognise new syntax and stricter typing.
- Coordinate with hosting providers and platform teams to ensure PHP 8.3 packages, extensions, and security patch SLAs are available.