phptrace

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phptrace is a low-overhead tracing tool for PHP.

It can trace all PHP executing, function calls, request information during run-time. And provides features like Filter, Statistics, Current Status and so on.

It is very useful to locate blocking, heavy-load problems and debug in all environments, especially in production environments.

Features:

• low-overhead, when extension loaded and trace is off
• stable, running on Qihoo 360 and tested on main-stream frameworks

Download the latest version: https://pecl.php.net/package/trace

Building

1. Extracting tarball

   tar -zxf phptrace-{version}.tar.gz
   cd phptrace-{version}
   

2. PHP extension - Compile

   cd extension
   {php_bin_dir}/phpize
   ./configure --with-php-config={php_bin_dir}/php-config
   make
   make install
   

3. PHP extension - Add extension load directive

   Edit php.ini, add the following line. A reload is needed if PHP running by php-fpm.

   extension=trace.so
   

4. Command tool - Compile

   cd cmdtool
   make
   

5. Verify

   php -r 'for ($i = 0; $i < 100; $i++) usleep(10000);' &
   ./phptrace -p $!
   

   You should see something below if everything fine

   1431681727.341829      usleep  =>  NULL   wt: 0.011979 ct: 0.011980
   1431681727.341847      usleep(10000) at [Command line code:1]
   1431681727.353831      usleep  =>  NULL   wt: 0.011984 ct: 0.011983
   1431681727.353849      usleep(10000) at [Command line code:1]
   1431681727.365829      usleep  =>  NULL   wt: 0.011980 ct: 0.011981
   1431681727.365848      usleep(10000) at [Command line code:1]
   

Usage

• Trace executing

  $ ./phptrace -p 3600
  1431682433.534909      run() at [sample.php:15]
  1431682433.534944        say("hello world") at [sample.php:7]
  1431682433.534956          sleep(1) at [sample.php:11]
  1431682434.538847          sleep  =>  0   wt: 1.003891 ct: 0.000000
  1431682434.538899          printf("hello world") at [sample.php:12]
  1431682434.538953          printf  =>  11   wt: 0.000054 ct: 0.000000
  1431682434.538959        say  =>  NULL   wt: 1.004015 ct: 0.000000
  1431682434.538966      run  =>  NULL   wt: 1.004057 ct: 0.000000
  

• Print current status

  $ ./phptrace -s -p 3600
  Memory
  usage: 235320
  peak_usage: 244072
  real_usage: 262144
  real_peak_usage: 262144
  
  Request
  request_script: sample.php
  request_time: 1431682554.245320
  
  Stack
  #1    printf("hello world") at [sample.php:8]
  #2    say("hello world") at [sample.php:3]
  #3    run() at [sample.php:12]
  

Comparison

phptrace

• It can print call stack of executing php process, which is similar to pstack.
• It can trace php function calls, which is similar to strace.
• It cannot get performance summary of php scripts, which will be supported in the future.
• It can not debug php scripts.

Phpdbg

• It is used to debug php program, which is similar to gdb.
• It cannot print call stack of executing php process.
• It cannot trace php function calls.

Xhprof

• It is used to get performance summary, which is similar to gprof.
• It cannot print call stack of executing php process.
• It cannot trace php function calls.

Xdebug

• It can print call stack only if some error occurs.
• It would hook many opcode handlers even you did not set the auto_trace flag in php.ini; it traces all the processes at the same time just without output. This is a big overhea d in production envirenment.
• It can not be enabled to trace without modifying the ini or the php script.

Contact

• Email: g-infra-webcore@list.qihoo.net

License

This project is released under the Apache 2.0 License.