2.0.0

2.0.0 (2026-JUN)

Major Performance & Modernization Release
This release brings a significant modernization of the extension to C++17 standards, with major focus on performance, reduced memory copies, and code quality.

Key Improvements

Performance Gains:

• Insert operations ~12% faster
• to_array() / iteration ~36% faster
• Significant reduction in temporary std::string copies through widespread use of std::string_view

C++17 Modernization:

• Full migration to std::string_view for all lookup operations (read, exists, remove)
• Added const correctness and noexcept where appropriate
• Modernized class design with deleted copy constructor, default move semantics, and in-class initializers
• Cleaner iterator implementation with proper Zend handler signatures

Code Quality & Stability:

• Replaced legacy macros with modern inline fetch helpers (php_sparsehashmap_fetch_object)
• Fixed multiple bugs in iterator, clone, and object handlers
• Improved memory reporting and garbage collection behavior
• Better null safety and error handling

Build & Compatibility:

• Updated config.m4 for C++17 requirement
• Cleaner header structure and include guards
• Improved compatibility with PHP 8.4+

Benchmark Results (900,000 items)

• Insert: 5.09s → 4.48s
• to_array(): 0.174s → 0.111s
• Memory usage remains highly efficient (SparseHashMap core unchanged)

Breaking Changes

• Minimum requirement is now C++17 and PHP 8.1+

Internal

• Extensive refactoring of object handlers, iterator, and core C++ wrapper
• Removed redundant string conversions and legacy code patterns
• Much improved maintainability and standards compliance

Full Changelog: 1.0.4...2.0.0

PHP 8.4 Compatible Release

1.0.3 - PHP 8.4 Release

• zend_object_iterator_funcs have been updated with a breaking change
• signature changed from int(*)(zend_object_iterator ) to zend_result()(zend_object_iterator *)

PHP 7.4 - 8.3

Build compatible with PHP 7.4 - PHP 8.3