I Build libSQL Client for PHP

Hello Punk! Yes, I am again...

LibSQL is SQLite for modern applications. But, they doesn't have PHP SDK. That's why, I build one!

Here is, how I start build the SDK for Turso/libSQL.

Turso + PHP - The LibSQL Client for PHP

Imam Ali Mustofa ・ Apr 10

#devjournal #php #libsql #turso

The LibSQL Client PHP

This library SDK is build entirely using PHP that wrap main functionality of LibSQL and try to keep match with official SDK did.

At first, I made this SDK just for fun, because at that time my fingers needed to dance as a routine activity with the background music that I hated the most.

But then this became Turso/LibSQL's first medal in PHP. I found out about this after the CEO of Turso told me that if I could make a PHP LibSQL Client that could read the LibSQL driver natively (not using the HTTP SDK) it would be very profitable:

• Developers can create local database connections using LibSQL (not SQLite)
• Developers can create in-memory database connections using LibSQL (not SQLite)
• Developers can create remote database connections using LibSQL (not SQLite)
• Developers can create remote replica / remote embedded connections using LibSQL (not SQLite)

When I can get it to interact natively with the LibSQL driver...

How?

• Then how can I talk directly to the LibSQL driver from PHP?
• Because LibSQL is built with Rust and I can't speak Rust! Damn it! (At first)

Learning Rust Damn it!

Yes, I finally learned to speak Rust. My first assignment was "Learning Rust while creating a native driver for PHP" because this has long been an interesting goal for me when I can create a native PHP driver myself!

In short, I interacted with the LibSQL binary using Rust FFI and cbindgen and generated a binary and C header that I could read using PHP FFI.

Yes, I made a middleware/translator/whatever to be able to communicate PHP with the LibSQL binary.

And yeah, that works! If you if you look at composer.json file at libsql-client-php, they will look like this:

{
    "name": "darkterminal/libsql-client-php",
    "description": "PHP client API for libSQL",
    "license": "MIT",
    "autoload": {
        "psr-4": {
            "Darkterminal\\LibSQL\\": "src/"
        },
        "files": [
            "src/Utils/helpers.php",
            "src/Utils/constants.php"
        ]
    },
    "authors": [
        {
            "name": "Imam Ali Mustofa",
            "email": "darkterminal@duck.com"
        }
    ],
    "scripts": {
        "post-install-cmd": ["./vendor/bin/build"],
        "post-update-cmd": ["./vendor/bin/build"]
    },
    "require": {
        "guzzlehttp/guzzle": "^7.0",
        "darkterminal/libsql-php-ext": "^1.0"
    },
    "funding": [
        {
            "type": "github",
            "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/darkterminal"
        },
        {
            "type": "other",
            "url": "https://paypal.me/lazarusalhambra"
        }
    ]
}

Because this library only encapsulates the main functionality as offered by Turso/LibSQL, I separated it from its core dependencies. Yes! the darkterminal/libsql-php-ext is the driver that will be downloaded by libsql-client-php and will be compiled directly during the installation process.

That's why, to be able to use this library developers need to meet the following requirements:

• Linux or Darwin OS
• C/C++ Compiler
• jq
• Rust Installed
• PHP Installed
• FFI Extension is Enabled (Why? I read the C header definition from wrapper)

The driver will compile on-demand from you device.

Read The Docs

I also provide a documentation how to use it and also the quickstart guide is available at Turso Official site.

• Turso Quickstart (PHP)
• LibSQL Client PHP
• LibSQL PHP Extension

Repository

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