PHPverse 2025: A showcase of inspiration and innovation
Continuous learning is in our DNA, because it's the only way we can keep building the best digital experiences. That's why we love attending events like PHPverse, where the crème de la crème of the PHP community comes together.
As always, the latest edition was packed with inspiration, the necessary technical depth, and of course, a healthy dose of PHP passion. In this blog post, we give an overview of our main takeaways!
FrankenPHP: A modern engine for PHP
Classic PHP servers like FPM can't always keep up with the modern demands of web applications. Tired of those limitations, Kévin Dunglas built FrankenPHP: a modern Go web server that runs PHP natively. So, it doesn't need FPM, but comes with built-in support for HTTP/2, HTTP/3, real-time applications, and background workers.
The talk clearly showed that the project has made significant progress. It's now running in production, with a growing community thanks to its focus on developer experience and Docker integrations. As builders of performant web applications, this is a development we're certainly keeping a close eye on!
Symfony turns 20 (but mostly looks ahead)
Nicolas Grekas, a core developer and a well-known name in the Symfony world, celebrated 20 years of Symfony by primarily looking forward. The latest release brings several interesting features:
- Native support for asynchronous processes
- Additional authentication options
- New debugging tools
- A more modular architecture
The talk didn't just stick to theory. Grekas provided plenty of concrete examples and use cases to make everything tangible. For us, this was definitive proof that a solid, reliable framework can go hand in hand with innovation.
MCPs: The bridge between PHP and AI
How do you get AI to work practically with your existing PHP code? Marcel Pociot introduced the concept of MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers. Simply put, this lets you build a bridge between AI models and your own PHP applications.
Via JSON-RPC, you make tools and resources available so developers can communicate directly from their IDE with, for example, a WordPress environment or local scripts. Pociot showed how you can build such a server yourself with his php-mcp-server package. A fascinating step towards converting human prompts into concrete actions.
Working smart but responsibly with AI
Cheuk Thing Ho, a developer advocate at JetBrains, offered a refreshing and above all human-centric perspective on AI. She showed how AI supports developers through smart tools for code completion, testing, and bug detection. At the same time, she addressed the ethical aspect: transparency, inclusivity, and responsibility remain essential. An important reminder that technology is and should stay a means to an end, not the end itself!
Laravel: The power of simplicity
In a candid Q&A, Laravel creator Taylor Otwell spoke about the strength of his framework: simplicity, ease of use, and a low entry barrier. He sees Laravel as an important starting point for new PHP developers and also shared his vision on AI integrations, collaborating with tools like FrankenPHP, and the recent launch of Nightwatch. His passion for education and clear documentation is something we at Codana can only applaud, since knowledge sharing is one of our core values.
Learning PHP in the age of TikTok
One of the most interesting discussions was the panel with heavyweights like Jeffrey Way (Laracasts), Povilas Korop (Laravel Daily), and Kevin Bond (SymfonyCasts). They discussed how learning PHP has changed: from dusty books and forums full of hit-or-miss tutorials to the role AI plays today. They also reflected on the impact of YouTube Shorts and changing attention spans.
Despite everything, the strength of PHP remains the speed at which you can build tangible projects, especially in combination with frameworks like Laravel and Symfony. The conclusion: PHP is alive, but learning methods must continue to evolve.
A look to the future
Finally, Roman Pronskiy and Gina Peter Banyard offered a look into the future of the language itself. The PHP Foundation is working on a series of powerful features, with the most discussed topic being the introduction of generics. This will give type safety and code reusability a serious boost.
Additionally, work is being done on improved static analysis, advanced security tools, and automatic refactoring. All things that directly contribute to the quality and security of the software we build, which of course we can only be happy about.
PHP is more alive than ever!
PHPverse 2025 gave us a huge dose of energy and confirmed that PHP is a dynamic, modern language that is innovating at full speed. The community continues to work on a strong, future-proof foundation and we'll be taking the insights into our own projects. That's how we'll keep building digital products that not only work today but are also ready for the challenges of tomorrow.
Want to know the details? (Re)watch the full recording of the event here:
