Stdlib: ext/curl — curl_init/exec/getinfo and HTTP client API (ext/curl parity)

[PurHur]

Category

stdlib

Problem

HTTP client code and Composer HTTP discovery depend on ext/curl (curl_init, curl_setopt, curl_exec, …). This compiler has no curl builtins (function_exists('curl_init') → false), blocking parity with typical PHP deployments.

php-src reference

• ext/curl/interface.c — PHP_FUNCTION(curl_init), curl_setopt, curl_exec, curl_getinfo, curl_error, curl_close
• ext/curl/multi.c — curl_multi_* (phase 2)
• ext/curl/curl_file.c — CURLFile for multipart (phase 2)

Repro (today)

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh && php bin/vm.php -r "var_export(function_exists(\"curl_init\"));"'

Zend (curl ext): true · This compiler: false

v1 behavior target

<?php
$ch = curl_init('https://example.com/');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_NOBODY, true);
$body = curl_exec($ch);
$code = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($ch);
echo is_string($body) ? $code : 'fail';

Zend: HTTP status int (e.g. 200 or 404 depending on network). Document harness may use file:// or mock if CI must be offline.

Scope (this repo)

• ext/curl/Module.php + VM handlers wrapping libcurl (or thin FFI to system libcurl in Docker image)
• Register resource type for curl handles in VM
• Constants: CURLOPT_*, CURLINFO_* minimal subset for GET/POST
• test/compliance/cases/stdlib/curl_init.phpt with @group network or local test server

Done when

• curl_init / curl_setopt / curl_exec / curl_getinfo / curl_error / curl_close work on VM
• Repro returns numeric HTTP code on harness with network (or documented skip)
• docs/capabilities.md lists curl functions

Verification

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh && vendor/bin/phpunit --filter CurlInit'

Links

• Stdlib: get_headers() — fetch HTTP response headers (ext/standard/head.c parity) #3309 get_headers() (different API) · Epic: Self-host critical path — compiler compiles itself (M3→M5) #1492

[PurHur]

Spec refresh — architect run 2026-06-19 (verified VM)

Status: Partial ext/curl registration — issue body "function_exists false" is stale.

Verified today

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php bin/vm.php -r "var_dump(function_exists(\"curl_init\"));"
'
# bool(true) on master 2026-06-19

Classes registered: CurlHandle, CurlMultiHandle, CurlShareHandle (#6999, #7266). curl_escape / curl_unescape have JIT PHPT per capabilities matrix.

Still missing for v1 parity (php-src-strict)

API	php-src	This compiler
curl_setopt()	ext/curl/interface.c	LogicException / stub on JIT path (#3325 core)
curl_exec()	same	not implemented JIT (capabilities: JIT no)
curl_getinfo() / curl_error()	same	missing or stub
curl_close()	same	handle lifecycle
CURLOPT_* constants	ext/curl/curl.stub.php	minimal subset for GET/POST

Repro target (unchanged intent)

<?php
$ch = curl_init('https://example.com/');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_NOBODY, true);
$body = curl_exec($ch);
$code = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($ch);
echo is_string($body) ? $code : 'fail';

Use @group network or offline file:// fixture in compliance.

Scope (PHP-in-PHP first)

• ext/curl/ VM handlers wrapping libcurl (Docker image has libcurl)
• JIT: lib/JIT/Builtin/Curl*.php or document VM-only until phase 2
• No permanent C-only builtins — thin FFI to libcurl OK with PHP orchestration in ext/curl/

Updated done-when

• Repro returns numeric HTTP status on harness (or documented skip)
• curl_init/setopt/exec/getinfo/error/close VM green
• Capabilities matrix JIT column updated honestly
• ./script/ci-fast.sh --filter CurlInit green

Worker: build on existing ext/curl/BuiltinClasses.php — do not re-register from scratch.

[PurHur]

claim: PHP Compiler Ext — I/O & Crypto — starting this run

Trust probe (before implement):

• make bootstrap-selfhost-link → OK /compiler/build/selfhost
• php script/bootstrap-inventory.php --check → OK 5503/5503
• ./script/release-readiness.sh --json → user_release_ready: yes (north-star5-fast ok)

Plan: enable CurlExtensionPolicy::advertisesExtension() when libcurl FFI is available; implement curl_init/setopt/exec/getinfo/error/close via thin libcurl FFI in ext/curl/ (php-src-strict); compliance + phantom guards updated.

[PurHur]

claim released (this run): pivoting to #20387 (ZipArchive unchange*/replaceFile/addGlob/addPattern) — exclusive I/O & Crypto surface with clearer one-run done-when. curl libcurl FFI HTTP I/O for #3325 remains next priority after zip lands.

[PurHur]

claim: PHP Compiler Ext — I/O & Crypto — starting this run

Trust probe (before implement):

• make bootstrap-selfhost-link → OK /compiler/build/selfhost
• php script/bootstrap-inventory.php --check → OK 5599/5599
• ./script/release-readiness.sh --json → user_release_ready: yes (north-star5-fast ok)

Plan: libcurl FFI in ext/curl/ for curl_init/setopt/exec/getinfo/error/close; gate CurlExtensionPolicy::advertisesExtension() on FFI availability; file:// + HTTP smoke; compliance guards for phantoms → real surface.

[PurHur]

Merged #20468

Verification

• php bin/vm.php test/repro/curl-probe-3325.php → HTTP 200 (extension_loaded('curl')=1)
• VM/JIT phpunit --filter curl_ green; CurlModuleTest green
• inventory OK 5603/5603; north-star5-verify-fast OK

php-src-strict: easy API via libcurl FFI in ext/curl/VmCurlNative.php + VmCurlEasy.php. JIT still VM-helper / not lowered (capabilities matrix honest). curl_multi remains #3721.