Runtime: CLI / + ['argv'] (register_argc_argv) parity

Problem

In CLI mode, Zend PHP populates $argc, $argv, and $_SERVER['argc']/$_SERVER['argv'] based on process arguments, gated by register_argc_argv (and with predictable shapes/types). PurHur/php-compiler should match Zend behavior, including when scripts are invoked with additional args and when register_argc_argv=0.

Verified gap (2026-06-03): even for bare -r snippets, $argv[0] differs (Standard input code vs Command line code). Multi-arg script invocations are not wired to real CLI args today.

php-src reference

php/php-src sapi/cli/php_cli.c — argument vector construction
php/php-src main/php_variables.c — $argc/$argv and $_SERVER registration
php/php-src main/main.c — register_argc_argv INI

Repro (failure today)

repro.php:

<?php
var_dump($argc, $argv);
var_dump($_SERVER['argc'] ?? null, $_SERVER['argv'] ?? null);

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
# Zend reference
php repro.php extra1 extra2

# This compiler (today)
php bin/vm.php repro.php extra1 extra2
# Also compare bare -r:
php -r "var_dump(\$argc, \$argv);"
php bin/vm.php -r "var_dump(\$argc, \$argv);"
'

Observed on master (Docker php-compiler:22.04-dev, 2026-06-03):

Check	Zend PHP 8.2	`bin/vm.php`
`php -r 'var_dump($argc,$argv);'`	`$argc=int(1)`, `$argv[0]="Standard input code"`	same shape but `$argv[0]="Command line code"`
`$_SERVER['argc']` in `-r`	present, mirrors `$argc`	present, mirrors `$argc`
`php repro.php a b`	`$argc=3`, argv includes script + `a` + `b`	(worker: verify; often still 1-arg stub)

Second variant (after #4515 / VmIni exposes register_argc_argv):

php -d register_argc_argv=0 repro.php a
php bin/vm.php -d register_argc_argv=0 repro.php a
# Expect: no $argc/$argv (or empty per Zend SAPI rules)

Scope (this repo)

CLI entrypoints: bin/vm.php, src/cli_driver.php, phpc run
VM globals / superglobals: lib/VM.php, lib/Web/ CGI path if shared
INI: register_argc_argv via Stdlib: ini_set()/ini_get() — register_argc_argv + zend.assertions parity (ext/standard, unblocks #4374) #4515

Done when

php bin/vm.php repro.php a b matches Zend: $argc === 3, $argv[0] is script path/basename, $argv[1]==='a', $argv[2]==='b'
$_SERVER['argv'] mirrors $argv when register_argc_argv=1
register_argc_argv=0 behavior matches Zend (no spurious argv pollution)
Compliance: test/compliance/cases/runtime/argv_cli.phpt

Links

Implementation notes (2026-06-03 backlog pass)

Committed repro

Add test/repro-maintainer/cli_argv_parity.php:

<?php
var_dump($argc, $argv);
var_dump($_SERVER['argc'] ?? null, $_SERVER['argv'] ?? null);

Native / AOT floor

lib/AOT/runtime/phpc_cli_argv.c — __compiler_cli_store_argv; must receive real argc/argv from bin/vm.php / phpc run / compiled drivers (Self-host M3: Native emit for compiler compile-smoke fixture (post-#1493) #1937, Self-host M5: bin/compile.php AOT sidecar segfault — missing .m3_bin_compile_aot_blob at emit-helper link #2697)
bin/vm.php — --script-argv / driver wiring today does not forward extra1 extra2 like Zend

Verification matrix

Command	`$argc`	`$argv[1]`
`php test/repro-maintainer/cli_argv_parity.php a b`	3	`a`
`php bin/vm.php test/repro-maintainer/cli_argv_parity.php a b`	3	`a`
`php bin/jit.php test/repro-maintainer/cli_argv_parity.php a b`	3	`a`
`register_argc_argv=0` (see #4515)	Zend rules	same

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh && vendor/bin/phpunit --filter cli_argv'
make bootstrap-selfhost-link

Done when (addendum)

-r snippet uses Standard input code for $argv[0] (match Zend 8.2), not Command line code
AOT-linked bin-compile-aot inherits forwarded argv for inventory driver

More concrete parity targets + references:

php-src reference (more specific)

sapi/cli/php_cli.c: do_cli() / argv parsing and php_build_argv() hookup
main/php_variables.c: php_register_variable_ex() paths for $_SERVER population
INI: register_argc_argv in php.ini-development (behavior toggle)

php-src tests to mirror

sapi/cli/tests/argv_001.phpt
sapi/cli/tests/argv_002.phpt
sapi/cli/tests/register_argc_argv_*.phpt

Extra edge cases to include

<?php
// 1) script executed via relative vs absolute path
// 2) arguments containing spaces / quotes should arrive as-is from the OS argv
var_dump($argv);

Done-when extension

$argv is an array with sequential integer keys starting at 0.
$_SERVER['argv'] matches $argv when enabled.
When disabled, $argc/$argv are unset or match Zend’s exact disabled behavior for this SAPI.

claim: lane-c-worker — starting this run

Implementation-ready addendum (2026-06-04 parity probe)

Verified $argv wiring gap remains on master. Minimal repro:

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php -r "var_dump(\$argc, \$argv[0] ?? null);"
php bin/vm.php -r "var_dump(\$argc, \$argv[0] ?? null);"
php bin/vm.php -r "var_dump(\$argc, \$argv[0] ?? null);" -- extra-arg
'

Expected Zend: $argv[0] is Command line code for -r snippets; additional CLI args after -- appear in $argv.

Done-when checklist for workers:

VM populates $argc/$argv without host PHP delegation
$_SERVER['argc'] / $_SERVER['argv'] mirror $argc/$argv when register_argc_argv=1
register_argc_argv=0 hides $argc/$argv like Zend
Delete C argv table via php-in-php: native CLI argv/globals bootstrap — delete phpc_cli_argv.c (~182 lines), pairs #4374 #5407 once PHP path lands (~182 lines from phpc_cli_argv.c)

php-src: sapi/cli/php_cli.c, main/php_variables.c

claim: cursor-agent-lane-c — continuing #4374 (Standard input code + -- separator); PR incoming.

Fix CLI -r $argv[0] and -- separator parity with Zend (#4374). (#5880)

Merged #5880

Verification: php bin/vm.php -r now matches Zend 8.2 (Standard input code, -- stripped before user args); script invocation with extra args unchanged; vendor/bin/phpunit test/compliance/ --filter cli_argv OK.

Follow-up: register_argc_argv=0 still blocked on -d INI forwarding (#4515).

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Runtime: CLI / + ['argv'] (register_argc_argv) parity #4374

Category

Problem

php-src reference

Repro (failure today)

Scope (this repo)

Done when

Links

Implementation notes (2026-06-03 backlog pass)

Committed repro

Native / AOT floor

Verification matrix

Done when (addendum)

php-src reference (more specific)

php-src tests to mirror

Extra edge cases to include

Done-when extension

Implementation-ready addendum (2026-06-04 parity probe)

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Runtime: CLI / + ['argv'] (register_argc_argv) parity #4374

Description

Category

Problem

php-src reference

Repro (failure today)

Scope (this repo)

Done when

Links

Implementation notes (2026-06-03 backlog pass)

Committed repro

Native / AOT floor

Verification matrix

Done when (addendum)

Activity

PurHur commented on Jun 2, 2026

php-src reference (more specific)

php-src tests to mirror

Extra edge cases to include

Done-when extension

PurHur commented on Jun 2, 2026

PurHur commented on Jun 4, 2026

Implementation-ready addendum (2026-06-04 parity probe)

PurHur commented on Jun 4, 2026

PurHur commented on Jun 4, 2026

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