Refactor Internal Time Retrieval Handling for Improved Consistency and Resolution by marc-mabe · Pull Request #19202 · php/php-src

marc-mabe · 2025-07-21T13:42:01Z

This pull request refactors how PHP internally handles current time retrieval and time measurement, introducing a more consistent and portable approach. The primary goals are to encapsulate platform-specific differences, improve time resolution, and prepare for long-term compatibility (e.g., Y2038 on WIN64).

Key Changes

Introduced zend_time.h
A new internal header that abstracts system time functions, replacing direct usage of <time.h> and related platform-specific APIs.
Added zend_time_real_spec
A unified wrapper around clock_gettime(), timespec_get(), gettimeofday(), and time() using the real/wall clock.
Returns a timespec structure with nanosecond precision (when available).
Added zend_time_real_get
A lightweight wrapper around time(NULL) for simple, low-resolution time retrieval.
Added zend_time_mono_fallback
A wrapper for zend_hrtime or falls back to zend_time_real_spec.
Useful for time measurements (e.g. timeout handling) where monotonic time is preferred, but wall time is an acceptable fallback.
Added helper functions
Added utilities to simplify usage of timeval and timespec structures.
Replaced direct system time API usage
Internal calls to system time functions now use zend_time_*.
Standardized time representation
Transitioned to timespec for current time where appropriate, while retaining timeval for files and stream-related functionality.

Benefits

Improved Portability and Readability
Platform-specific time logic is encapsulated, reducing conditionals and improving clarity.
Guaranteed Time API Availability
The new abstraction ensures time can always be retrieved via a fallback chain:
clock_gettime() → timespec_get() → gettimeofday() → time()
Y2038 Compatibility on WIN64
Addresses issues caused by long in timeval.tv_sec on 64-bit Windows systems.

Related issue: #17856 – time() and Y2038 problem on 64-bit Windows
Improved Resolution for Time Functions
microtime() and gettimeofday(true) now offer better time precision without breaking backward compatibility.
Removed Redundant Availability Checks
Previously unverified use of gettimeofday() has been replaced by a robust fallback mechanism.
Conditional checks for microtime(), gettimeofday(), and uniqid() have been removed.

ext/standard/uniqid.c

marc-mabe · 2025-10-19T03:15:53Z

@TimWolla I think this is ready to go now. Please could you have another look and/or point me to the right person to ping?

@bukka Please could you help me for how to fix the failing unit test (expecting gettimeofday but now using zend_monotime_fallback)

TimWolla

Had a rudimentary first look.

Zend/zend_time.h

Zend/zend_time.c

ext/random/random.c

TimWolla

Some more bits. I'm approximately halfway through the PR. Feel free to already make the requested changes with regard to the removal of the macros, this probably saves us both a review cycle.

ext/date/php_date.c

ext/date/php_date.h

marc-mabe · 2025-10-21T06:07:54Z

Some more bits. I'm approximately halfway through the PR. Feel free to already make the requested changes with regard to the removal of the macros, this probably saves us both a review cycle.

I'll be able to continue my work on it from tomorrow evening.

marc-mabe · 2025-10-24T14:47:57Z

Hi @TimWolla , I have now addressed all your comments.

PS: I decided to not inline zend_time_real_[get|spec] and zend_time_mono_fallback to be able to mock these functions in unit tests.

marc-mabe · 2025-11-16T07:39:50Z

@TimWolla rebased again - is this good to go now? - Should I squash the commits?

marc-mabe · 2025-12-18T16:45:35Z

@TimWolla It would be awesome if this could be merged

Zend/zend_time.c

Introducing a more consistent and portable approach. The primary goals are to encapsulate platform-specific differences, improve time resolution, and prepare for long-term compatibility (e.g., Y2038 on WIN64).

marc-mabe · 2026-01-17T13:02:29Z

@derickr @TimWolla I have addressed all your PR comments. Hope it's good to go now.

bukka

It looks mostly good but I think this should be split to smaller PR's. It might also help to get those changes merged as preference here should be to get reviews from code owners and if it's as big as this, it's kind of hard to get it.

bukka · 2026-01-17T13:22:58Z

sapi/fpm/fpm/fpm_unix.c

 	}
 #endif

-	if (0 > fpm_clock_init()) {


What abou that mac specific handling

zend_time_mono_fallback is using zend_hrtime which already handles mac specifics in a better way (like clock_gettime_nsec_np)

bukka · 2026-01-17T13:24:57Z

sapi/fpm/fpm/fpm_request.c


 #include "fpm_config.h"

+#include "zend_time.h"


I'm not really sure if there is a big benefit in replacing fpm_clock.h here. In general those pieces of FPM should stay independent from Zend code.

The SAPIs are already using Zend code - So they are not independent

FPM has got some parts using Zend but the majority is independent.

bukka · 2026-01-17T14:10:40Z

I think this needs a bit deeper review and a bit of research for me to confidentily approve it. It might take me some time. As I noted spliting that to smaller parts might be a better way how to get it merged.

marc-mabe · 2026-01-17T17:28:25Z

@bukka

I think this needs a bit deeper review and a bit of research for me to confidentily approve it. It might take me some time. As I noted spliting that to smaller parts might be a better way how to get it merged.

OK, I'll can split out the SAPI changes for now.

... In general those pieces of FPM should stay independent from Zend code.

What about moving this into main as php_time_* - would that make sense to you?

TimWolla · 2026-03-05T09:34:08Z

@marc-mabe Sorry, I massively dropped the ball here. Your pings unfortunately came around the time of the PHP 8.5 release, but that isn't an excuse of course.

I agree with Jakub that making this PR smaller is probably a good thing. I think the best first step would be extracting out the addition of zend_time.[ch] into a separate PR, so that the new functions can be reviewed and then a follow-up cleanup PR can make use of the functions everywhere.

TimWolla · 2026-03-05T09:34:48Z

Zend/zend_time.h

+}
+
+/* Current real/wall-time in seconds */
+ZEND_API time_t zend_time_real_get(void);


Suggested change

ZEND_API time_t zend_time_real_get(void);

ZEND_API time_t zend_time_real_get_sec(void);

Addressed in separate PR

TimWolla · 2026-03-05T09:35:02Z

Zend/zend_time.h

+
+/* Monotonic time in nanoseconds with a fallback to real/wall-time 
+   if no monotonic timer is available */
+ZEND_API uint64_t zend_time_mono_fallback(void);


Suggested change

ZEND_API uint64_t zend_time_mono_fallback(void);

ZEND_API uint64_t zend_time_mono_fallback_nsec(void);

Addressed in separate PR

marc-mabe · 2026-03-07T09:25:32Z

Hi @TimWolla @bukka, I have split out the introduction of the new functions in a separate PR #21370

marc-mabe force-pushed the current_time_wrapper branch 14 times, most recently from c81c27f to 8c044c8 Compare July 23, 2025 13:19

marc-mabe mentioned this pull request Jul 25, 2025

Handle broken hrtime in ftp #19219

Closed

marc-mabe force-pushed the current_time_wrapper branch 2 times, most recently from 7e3d98c to fdabd9b Compare July 26, 2025 08:46

TimWolla reviewed Jul 27, 2025

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marc-mabe force-pushed the current_time_wrapper branch from 1058493 to 9429859 Compare July 28, 2025 07:02

marc-mabe force-pushed the current_time_wrapper branch from 9429859 to 3aa094c Compare September 21, 2025 05:50

marc-mabe requested a review from devnexen as a code owner September 23, 2025 06:12

github-actions bot added Extension: calendar Extension: pgsql Extension: phar labels Sep 23, 2025

marc-mabe force-pushed the current_time_wrapper branch from 315f346 to 956b7a0 Compare October 4, 2025 19:57

marc-mabe changed the title ~~Refactor basic time usages~~ Refactor Internal Time Retrieval Handling for Improved Consistency and Resolution Oct 5, 2025

marc-mabe force-pushed the current_time_wrapper branch from 956b7a0 to 88ec473 Compare October 5, 2025 05:41

TimWolla reviewed Oct 19, 2025

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TimWolla reviewed Oct 20, 2025

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derickr requested changes Jan 13, 2026

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Refactors internal time retrieval and measurement

e4b56b4

Introducing a more consistent and portable approach. The primary goals are to encapsulate platform-specific differences, improve time resolution, and prepare for long-term compatibility (e.g., Y2038 on WIN64).

bukka requested changes Jan 17, 2026

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TimWolla reviewed Mar 5, 2026

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marc-mabe mentioned this pull request Mar 7, 2026

Introduce new time retrieval Zend-API #21370

Open

	ZEND_API time_t zend_time_real_get(void);
	ZEND_API time_t zend_time_real_get_sec(void);

	ZEND_API uint64_t zend_time_mono_fallback(void);
	ZEND_API uint64_t zend_time_mono_fallback_nsec(void);

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