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Use the profiler extension that matches your PHP runtime, add perftools/php-profiler to the application, and send selected request traces to an XHGui installation backed by MongoDB or PDO. XHProf records function-level call timing and memory data; XHGui stores those runs and provides the web interface for comparing them. The reliable setup order is extension, Composer integration, early bootstrap instrumentation, saver configuration, XHGui deployment, database configuration, and a test request.
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What XHProf and XHGui do
XHProf is a function-level hierarchical profiler for PHP with a simple HTML interface. In a running request, it records a call hierarchy rather than only a total response time. That hierarchy lets you see which functions called one another, how often they ran, how much time they consumed, and how memory changed while they executed.
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XHGui is the separate graphical interface and persistence layer. The profiled application sends a run to XHGui, which stores profile documents in MongoDB or through a PDO-backed database and renders lists, details, metrics, and call graphs. XHGui does not provide the profiling extension itself; the PHP runtime executing your application must load one.
A useful mental model is:
- Profiler extension: collects low-level function data inside PHP.
perftools/php-profiler: starts and stops profiling from application code and sends the result through a saver.- XHGui: receives, stores, indexes, and displays the saved run.
The project description is precise: “XHProf is a function-level hierarchical profiler for PHP and has a simple HTML based user interface.”
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Check PHP and profiler compatibility first
Choose the extension before installing anything else. The maintained XHGui repository lists PHP 8.0 through 8.3 as known to work. XHGui itself does not require a profiling extension, but every application request you want to profile does.
| PHP runtime | Profiler options documented by the integration library | Installation path |
|---|---|---|
| PHP 7 or later | Tideways XHProf 5.x, XHProf 2.x, or Tideways 4.x | pecl install xhprof for the documented XHProf path |
| PHP 5.3 through below PHP 7 | XHProf 0.9.x or UProfiler | pecl install xhprof-0.9.4 for the documented older XHProf path |
The version ranges above come from the perftools/php-profiler compatibility documentation. Do not install the PHP 5 extension into a PHP 7 or newer runtime, or assume that an extension loaded by the command-line interpreter is also loaded by PHP-FPM or Apache. Those processes can use different binaries and configuration files.
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Prepare the application and XHGui host
Before changing code, identify these details:
- The PHP binary and minor version used by the web worker that serves the application.
- Whether the application runs under Apache, nginx with PHP-FPM, or another front end.
- Which requests should be profiled, such as a representative page render, API endpoint, queue job entry point, or CLI command.
- Whether profile documents will be stored in MongoDB, PDO, files for later upload, or directly submitted to XHGui.
- Where the XHGui source will live and which account needs write access to its
cachedirectory.
Profiling every request indefinitely can create a large data set and make analysis harder. Start with a small, representative set of requests and add broader collection only when you have a retention and storage plan.
Install and verify the profiler extension
Install the extension for the selected PHP version
For a PHP 7 or newer environment following the documented XHProf path, run:
pecl install xhprofFor an older PHP 5 environment using the documented XHProf 0.9.4 release, run:
pecl install xhprof-0.9.4Tideways XHProf is another supported PHP 7 or newer option. Whichever extension you choose, enable it in the configuration file used by the actual web worker, then restart PHP-FPM, Apache, or the relevant worker service. Restarting only a shell session does not reload an already-running worker.
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Check the command-line environment with:
php -mLook for the installed profiler module. Then verify the web environment separately, for example with the runtime information page or your process manager’s diagnostic output. If CLI reports the module but a web request does not, compare the PHP executable, php.ini path, additional scan directory, and service restart status. The integration library can only detect a profiler that is loaded in the process running the application.
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Add the Composer integration library
From the application directory, install the integration package:
composer require perftools/php-profilerThe package detects supported profiler extensions and can be configured to select one explicitly when more than one is present. Keep the package in the same dependency set as the application code so deployments use a reproducible version.
Start profiling from an early bootstrap point
Instrumentation belongs in a central bootstrap path that runs before the work you want to measure. Depending on the framework, that may be the front controller, application kernel bootstrap, console entry point, or a shared worker initialization file. Starting too late omits framework startup and dependency construction; placing the code in only one controller misses other routes.
The documented pattern creates a configuration object, constructs XhguiProfilerProfiler, and calls start(). A minimal bootstrap shape is:
<?php
require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
$config = require __DIR__ . '/config/profiler.php';
$profiler = new XhguiProfilerProfiler($config);
$profiler->start();Use the configuration format shipped with the version of perftools/php-profiler you installed. The important operational points are that the code executes early, the selected extension is available, and shutdown handling is allowed to flush the run when the request ends. Do not instantiate a second profiler in every controller or middleware layer.
For command-line programs, put the same startup call in the command entry point and pass a request context that identifies the command and its arguments without exposing secrets. For web requests, preserve the URL, host, and route context that will help you identify the run later in XHGui.
Choose how profile data is saved
The integration library supports several saver strategies. The right choice depends on whether the application can reach XHGui directly and whether you need a buffer between collection and analysis.
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| Workflow | When it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Direct upload to XHGui | The profiled application can reach the XHGui endpoint and you want runs available immediately. | Couples request completion to the upload path and requires dependable connectivity. |
| JSON Lines output | You want to write runs locally or to a durable spool and import them later. | Requires file permissions, rotation, and an import process; files can grow quickly. |
| File or stack saver | You need buffering or a deployment where the application should not connect directly to the database. | Adds an operational step between collection and viewing. |
| MongoDB or PDO saver | You have a database connection available to the application. | The integration documentation discourages direct MongoDB/PDO saving in favor of upload, file, or stack savers where appropriate. |
Configure one saver in the profiler configuration and confirm that it can write before enabling a large sampling scope. If a request completes but no run appears, the saver, endpoint, database connection, and filesystem permissions are the first places to inspect.
Deploy XHGui from source
Install the application
Clone or download the XHGui repository on the host that will serve the interface. From its directory, install production dependencies with:
composer install --no-devPoint the web server’s document root at XHGui’s webroot directory, not the repository root. Make the repository’s cache directory writable by the account used by the web server. A read-only cache commonly results in an empty interface or runtime errors even when the database is reachable.
Set the XHGui configuration
The default installation uses MongoDB. If MongoDB is not available at the default local connection, update config/config.php with the correct host, port, credentials, and database settings for your environment. Keep those credentials outside publicly served files and grant only the permissions XHGui needs.
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For a customized installation, the repository provides src/config.default.php. Copy it to config/config.php, then adjust the storage and application settings rather than editing the default source file.
Configure MongoDB or PDO storage
MongoDB: the complete-feature path
The documented MongoDB path requires MongoDB PHP driver 1.3.0 or later and MongoDB server 3.2 or later. Confirm both the PHP driver loaded by the XHGui web process and the server version before troubleshooting the application integration.
MongoDB is the default XHGui storage choice and is the safest option when you need the feature set documented by the project. After initial data arrives, add the indexes documented by XHGui for request time, URL, server name, and profile metrics. Those indexes support the filters and sorting used by the interface and help prevent slow queries as the collection grows.
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PDO: relational alternatives with limitations
PDO storage can use SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. The XHGui documentation warns that PDO may not support every XHGui feature, so choose it when your environment requires a relational database and you accept that reduced coverage. Validate the views and filters you depend on with a real captured run rather than assuming parity with MongoDB.
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Apache requirements
XHGui includes an .htaccess file. Apache must allow the relevant override rules, including AllowOverride FileInfo, and mod_rewrite must be enabled. If the home page loads but detail URLs return 404, inspect the virtual host’s override policy and rewrite module before changing application code.
nginx with PHP-FPM
Serve the webroot directory and route paths that do not map to a real file to index.php. The PHP location must set SCRIPT_FILENAME to the document root plus the requested script. A conventional shape is:
root /var/www/xhgui/webroot;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
}
location ~ .php$ {
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}Use the PHP-FPM socket or upstream name provided by your installation. After reloading nginx and PHP-FPM, open the XHGui URL directly and verify that the front page and a detail route both resolve.
Use Docker Compose instead of a source deployment
The XHGui repository documents a Docker Compose route for a quicker local or disposable setup:
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Use the same application-side profiler configuration regardless of whether XHGui runs from source or in containers. The difference is operational: Docker packages the web and database services, while a source deployment leaves service installation, upgrades, permissions, and process supervision to you.
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- Open the XHGui URL and leave it available for comparison.
- Exercise one representative application request, such as a page that performs the database and template work you need to understand.
- Include a useful request context. A URL, route name, or CLI command makes the saved metadata identifiable.
- Wait for the request to finish so shutdown handling can flush the profile.
- Refresh XHGui and locate the new run by request time, URL, server name, or other displayed context.
- Open the run detail and confirm that function calls, timing, call counts, memory, and the call graph contain data rather than an empty document.
If the run is present, repeat the same request several times before drawing conclusions. One trace can include cache warm-up, connection setup, or an unusual input. Use comparable requests when evaluating a code change.
Read a profile without misdiagnosing it
Inclusive versus exclusive time
Inclusive time attributes a function’s own work plus the work performed by functions it called. It helps identify an expensive subtree. Exclusive time removes child calls and shows work performed in that function itself. A controller with high inclusive time may simply be the entry point for a slow database or template operation; inspect its children before rewriting the controller.
Call counts and memory
A high call count can indicate a loop, repeated service lookup, or an unexpectedly chatty abstraction. Pair the count with inclusive and exclusive time: many cheap calls are a different problem from a few very expensive calls. Memory measurements help identify allocations and retained structures, but interpret them alongside the request path and input size.
The call graph
Follow the graph from the request entry point toward the largest inclusive-time branches. Confirm that the branch is present in representative requests, then investigate the responsible SQL, cache, serialization, template, or application function outside the profiler. XHProf identifies where execution time accumulates; it does not by itself explain whether a query plan, network dependency, or algorithm is the root cause.
Reduce noise and control collection
The profiler library supports ignored functions through profiler.options. Use that option when framework internals or known utility calls overwhelm the functions you are trying to study. The library also exposes profiling flags that can disable built-in-function profiling when the default trace is too broad. Apply these settings deliberately: removing too much detail can hide the call that explains a delay.
Prefer selective sampling over always-on collection for a busy production system. Profile a controlled percentage of requests, a specific route, a maintenance window, or a reproducer. Keep an unsampled baseline for comparison, and record which sampling rule was active so runs from different collection policies are not treated as equivalent.
Retention, indexes, and storage growth
Profile documents can consume storage quickly, especially when they include large call trees and many requests. Decide how long a run remains useful before enabling broad collection. XHGui recommends controlling profile age; with MongoDB, a TTL index can remove documents after the chosen age.
- Set a maximum profile age that matches the investigation cycle.
- Use the documented indexes for request time, URL, server name, and profile metrics.
- Monitor the database or JSON Lines directory rather than waiting for the disk to fill.
- Rotate or archive file-based output when using a file or stack saver.
- Remove test data before production collection if it could confuse comparisons.
Troubleshoot common failures
The profiler is not detected
- Run
php -mand verify the module in the same PHP installation used by the application. - Check the PHP-FPM or Apache module configuration separately from CLI configuration.
- Confirm the extension version matches the PHP major version and restart the worker after enabling it.
- Verify that only a supported profiler is selected when multiple extensions are installed.
XHGui shows no runs
- Confirm that the bootstrap path executes before the request work begins.
- Inspect saver configuration and application logs for upload or serialization errors.
- Test the MongoDB or PDO connection from the process that writes the run.
- Check write permissions for XHGui’s
cachedirectory and any JSON Lines output directory. - Ensure shutdown handling is not being terminated before the profile is flushed.
Routes return 404
- With Apache, verify
mod_rewriteand theAllowOverride FileInfosetting. - With nginx, confirm that unknown paths fall through to
/index.php. - Check that the document root is XHGui’s
webroot, not its parent directory.
MongoDB queries become slow
Add the XHGui-documented indexes for request time, URL, server name, and profile metrics. Then review retention; an unbounded collection can make otherwise correct queries progressively more expensive.
Storage grows without bound
Reduce the sampling scope, configure a maximum profile age, enable a MongoDB TTL index where appropriate, and rotate file-based output. Deleting old runs is a storage policy decision, so set it before enabling continuous collection.
Quick Recap
Choose an implementation path
| Decision | Prefer this when | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| MongoDB over PDO | You want the default XHGui path and the broadest documented feature coverage. | Requires the MongoDB PHP driver 1.3.0 or later and MongoDB server 3.2 or later. |
| PDO over MongoDB | Your infrastructure standardizes on SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. | The documentation warns that some XHGui features may be unavailable. |
| Source deployment over Docker | You need direct control over the web server, PHP process, filesystem, and upgrade process. | You must manage those services and permissions yourself. |
| Docker Compose over source | You need a repeatable local or disposable environment with fewer manual service steps. | Container networking, volumes, and exposed ports still need to be maintained. |
| Direct submission over file/import | The application can reliably reach XHGui and you need runs immediately. | A failed or slow destination can affect the submission path. |
| File or stack saver over direct submission | You want buffering, delayed import, or isolation between the application and XHGui. | You must operate the spool, permissions, rotation, and import flow. |
| Selective sampling over always-on collection | You are profiling a busy or sensitive environment. | You may miss rare requests unless the sampling rule targets them. |
Operational checklist
- PHP 8.0–8.3 is within the maintained XHGui repository’s known-working range.
- The profiler extension matches the PHP runtime and is loaded by the web worker.
perftools/php-profileris installed through Composer.- The profiler starts from an early, central bootstrap path.
- A saver is configured and can write or upload a test run.
- XHGui is served from
webrootand itscachedirectory is writable. - MongoDB or PDO storage is configured and reachable.
- Apache rewrites or nginx front-controller routing are working.
- A representative request produces a visible run with timing and call data.
- Retention, indexes, and sampling prevent uncontrolled growth.
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