Stdlib: request_parse_body() — PHP 8.4 HTTP body parser without superglobals (ext/standard/http.c)

[PurHur]

Category

stdlib

Problem

PHP 8.4 adds request_parse_body(string $body, array $options = []): array — parse application/x-www-form-urlencoded and multipart/form-data payloads without populating $_POST / $_FILES. CLI tools, unit tests, and middleware use it to inspect raw HTTP bodies.

This compiler has no such function (function_exists('request_parse_body') → false). Multipart support exists for CGI (lib/Web/ populates $_POST/$_FILES) but not as a standalone API.

PHP 8.4 also adds RequestParseBodyException (extends Exception) for malformed bodies — must be registered before the function ships.

php-src reference

• php/php-src ext/standard/http.c — PHP_FUNCTION(request_parse_body)
• php/php-src ext/standard/basic_functions.stub.php — RequestParseBodyException
• php/php-src main/php_variables.c — php_parse_input_data, php_handle_form_data

Repro (undefined function today)

test/repro-maintainer/maintainer_request_parse_body.php:

<?php
declare(strict_types=1);

// URL-encoded
$body = "a=1&b=two";
$result = request_parse_body($body);
var_export($result);
echo "\n";

// Multipart (minimal)
$boundary = '----WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW';
$multipart = "--$boundary\r\n"
    . "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"field\"\r\n\r\n"
    . "value\r\n"
    . "--$boundary--\r\n";
$result2 = request_parse_body($multipart, ['content_type' => "multipart/form-data; boundary=$boundary"]);
var_export($result2['post']['field'] ?? 'missing');
echo "\n";

./script/docker-exec.sh -- bash -lc 'source script/php-env.sh
php test/repro-maintainer/maintainer_request_parse_body.php 2>&1 | head -5   # Zend 8.4+
php bin/vm.php test/repro-maintainer/maintainer_request_parse_body.php 2>&1 | head -2
'

Runtime	Result
Zend PHP 8.4+	array ('post' => array ('a' => '1', 'b' => 'two'), 'files' => array ()) + multipart value
bin/vm.php	Call to undefined function request_parse_body()

Exception class probe

test/repro-maintainer/parity_request_parse_body_exception.php (Zend 8.4+ only):

<?php
declare(strict_types=1);
var_dump(class_exists('RequestParseBodyException'));
try {
    throw new RequestParseBodyException('malformed body');
} catch (RequestParseBodyException $e) {
    echo 'caught:', $e->getMessage(), "\n";
}

On Zend 8.4+: class_exists true and typed catch works. VM must match when implementing #5965 (do not ship function without exception class).

Scope (this repo)

Module	Path
Parser core	reuse/adapt lib/Web/MultipartParser.php → shared VmHttpBodyParser
Builtin	ext/standard/request_parse_body.php
Exception	register RequestParseBodyException in ext/standard/ThrowableManifest.php (or sibling)
Registration	ext/standard/Module.php
Options	content_type, max_parts, max_input_vars parity subset per php-src
Tests	test/compliance/cases/stdlib/request_parse_body_urlencoded.phpt, request_parse_body_multipart.phpt, request_parse_body_exception.phpt
JIT/AOT	VM-first v1

PHP-in-PHP: parser logic in ext/ + lib/Web/; C only for unavoidable platform I/O (none for string-in API).

Done when (php-src-strict)

• function_exists('request_parse_body') true; URL-encoded repro matches Zend return shape
• Multipart repro populates post + files nested arrays like Zend
• RequestParseBodyException registered; malformed body throws it (not generic Exception)
• Invalid content_type / malformed body errors match Zend (ValueError / RequestParseBodyException per php-src)
• ./script/ci-fast.sh --filter request_parse_body green

Verification

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

Related

• Web: multipart/form-data and application/json POST bodies #52 / Web: $_FILES population and move_uploaded_file subset #87 CGI multipart → $_FILES (reuse parser)
• Stdlib: pow, strval, and expanded PHPT specs #6-FileUploadWeb north-star
• North star: Epic: Self-host critical path — compiler compiles itself (M3→M5) #1492

[PurHur]

Spine/inventory sync merged in #16947 — request_parse_body engine/JIT/runtime + DOM innerHTML helpers now on compiler_lib_spine_smoke (4179/4179 inventory coverage).

php script/bootstrap-inventory.php --check  → OK 4179/4179
php script/check-selfhost-spine-coverage-sync.php  → OK
make bootstrap-selfhost-vm-driver-execute-probe  → OK

[PurHur]

claim: cursor-agent-lane-b — starting this run

[PurHur]

claim released: php-src PHP-8.4 stub is request_parse_body(?array $options = null): array (reads SAPI body, not string arg). VM+8.4 profile already green — repro maintainer_gap_request_parse_body_* and compliance request_parse_body_*.phpt pass. Issue repro table contradicts ext/standard/http.c. Pivoting.

[PurHur]

claim: cursor-agent-lane-b — starting this run

[PurHur]

claim released: VM + compliance green on master with PHP_COMPILER_PROFILE=8.4; AOT fixtures still fail (putenv env bridge / helper compile). Pivoting to shippable lane-B item.

[PurHur]

claim: cursor-agent-lane-b — fixing AOT putenv standalone link (__compiler_env_register_putenv) for request_parse_body fixtures

[PurHur]

claim released: VM + compliance green (#16927); AOT putenv standalone link blocked on broader GetenvJitHelper/HashTable::update JIT gap — pivoting to bootstrap inventory drift.

[PurHur]

claim: cursor-agent-lane-b — fixing request_parse_body AOT compile failure (fixtures red, VM green)

[PurHur]

WIP update (agent/issue-5965-request-parse-body-aot)

Compile/link blockers fixed on branch agent/issue-5965-request-parse-body-aot (commit 8996c33).

What works now

• AOT compile + link for request_parse_body_urlencoded.phpt / request_parse_body_multipart.phpt (no more LLVM dominance / undefined __compiler_env_register_putenv)
• Repro: test/repro/issue_5965_aot_no_putenv.php compiles (~3 min first helper-runtime rebuild)

Verification commands

source script/php-env.sh
export PHP_COMPILER_PROFILE=8.4
php bin/compile.php -o /tmp/rpb test/fixtures/aot/cases/request_parse_body_urlencoded.phpt
# compile+link: exit 0

Remaining blocker (runtime)

AOT binaries that call putenv() and/or request_parse_body() segfault at c:main_before_php (exit 139). Minimal echo 42 AOT still runs fine. JIT path throws expected RequestParseBodyException for missing Content-Type.

Next: debug standalone main prologue vs nested helper globals when EnvLocalRuntime / RequestParseBodyRuntime are linked.

[PurHur]

claim: cursor-agent-lane-c — continuing #17316 runtime segfault on request_parse_body AOT