Regression: gzcompress/gzdeflate/gzencode(null) still coerce under PROFILE=8.4 — Zend TypeError (re-#19332, ext/zlib)

[PurHur]

Category

Stdlib · php-src-strict · PROFILE≥8.4 · re-#19332 / #19112 / #21210 · sibling of #28689

Problem

Under PHP_COMPILER_PROFILE=8.4, zlib compressors still coerce null $data (Deprecated + empty-payload compressed bytes) instead of TypeError per Zend 8.4 stubs (string $data). Prior closed issues have regressed.

Verified 2026-08-07 on master @8232de4a23 (VM). Host reference is 8.2; done-when is php-src 8.4 TypeError.

Call	Zend 8.4+	VM PROFILE=8.4 (2026-08-07)
gzcompress(null)	TypeError	Deprecated + zlib empty payload (789c030000000001)
gzdeflate(null)	TypeError	Deprecated + empty deflate (0300)
gzencode(null)	TypeError	Deprecated + gzip empty payload

php-src reference

• php/php-src ext/zlib/zlib.stub.php — gzcompress/gzdeflate/gzencode string $data
• php/php-src ext/zlib/zlib.c — ZPP string rejects null since 8.4

PHP implementation target

• PROFILE≥8.4 null→TypeError via shared string-arg guards in ext/zlib (e.g. VmZlib) + VM/JIT — not new C in runtime/

Repro

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'PHP_COMPILER_PROFILE=8.4 php bin/vm.php /tmp/zlib_null84.php'

<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
foreach (['gzcompress','gzdeflate','gzencode'] as $f) {
    try {
        $r = $f(null);
        echo "$f => ";
        var_export(bin2hex($r));
        echo "\n";
    } catch (Throwable $e) {
        echo "$f EX ", get_class($e), ':', $e->getMessage(), "\n";
    }
}

Done when

• Under PROFILE≥8.4 listed zlib APIs throw TypeError on null (VM + JIT; AOT if in scope)
• ≤8.3 profile keeps Zend deprecate+coerce
• Compliance .phpt under test/compliance/cases/stdlib/ (or zlib/)
• php-src-strict; no php-compiler-strict shortcut

[PurHur]

Not a regression vs Zend — closing without code change.

Re-verified 2026-08-07 against php:8.4-cli (8.4.24): listed string args still deprecate + coerce null (soft-null). They do not throw TypeError.

Stub typed string ≠ ZPP TypeError on 8.4 — same finding as #28686 / #24176 / closed #28738/#28739. VM PROFILE=8.4 already matches Zend.

Gate for future filings: confirm against docker run --rm -i php:8.4-cli php, not stubs alone.