The RFC process works well for changing the PHP language, but the rest of the project has no equivalent. That includes servers, websites, security handling, bug triage and onboarding new contributors. This RFC from Ben Ramsey sets up a way to create working groups that own those areas.

The problem it solves

People often want to help PHP but get stuck on one question: "Who do I talk to?" Much of the work has no clear owner, and sometimes the person who once ran something no longer has the time. New contributors lose interest and move on.

The RFC doesn't add a boss or change how decisions get made. It gives each area of work a clear owner, a clear list of members, and an end date.

How a working group works

Each working group starts with a charter, a short document that describes the group. The charter goes through the normal RFC process and a vote, and it must cover:

  • What the group does. Its purpose and the work it covers.
  • Who is in it. A chair, the members, and how people join or leave.
  • How long it lasts. A fixed term, or "indefinite."
  • How it communicates. Where it meets and where it publishes decisions.

Once the charter passes, the group can operate on its own within its scope. Changes to the language or to project policy still need an RFC, and a group can also be dissolved early by RFC. When a group ends, someone else can charter a new one for the same work.

The RFC suggests possible groups for communications, infrastructure, security and triage, and it includes a sample charter for an Infrastructure Working Group.

PHP Foundation groups

The PHP Foundation is starting six special interest groups this year, and the RFC says those are different. Foundation groups are community groups with no authority over the PHP project, while working groups are part of the project itself. According to the RFC, Ramsey talked with Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth Barron, and the two agree there's room for both.

What it means for you

Your code doesn't change. If you want to help with PHP's servers, security or bug reports, you'd have a named group and a person to contact.

Where it stands

It's under discussion. The RFC was first posted in February 2025 and withdrawn that November. Ramsey brought it back on May 25, 2026, and moved it to discussion the next day. The policy text now lives in a pull request on the PHP policies repository, and there's no vote yet.