GH Actions: test against libxml 2.14

[jrfnl]

Description

Libxml 2.14 has been released a few days ago. Considering the issues we've previously seen with different libxml versions, let's have at least one build which runs against libxml 2.14.

Ref: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/blob/2.14/NEWS

Suggested changelog entry

N/A

Related issues/external references

Related to #849

[jrfnl]

Hmm... looks like this isn't working as expected. In contrast to the builds with libxml 2.11 and 2.13, the libxml 2.14 library does not seem to get picked up automatically:

Might need a more recent PHP version ? @asispts @remicollet Got any insights into why this isn't working ?

[jrfnl]

Rebased without changes to trigger a new build as new PHP releases have come out which may incidentally (or intentionally) have fixed the problem with the PR. Let's see....

[jrfnl]

Unfortunately, no such luck...

[jrfnl]

Trying again... Rebased without changes to trigger a new build as new PHP releases have come out which may incidentally (or intentionally) have fixed the problem with the PR. Let's see....

[jrfnl]

Unfortunately still not working: https://github.com/PHPCSStandards/PHP_CodeSniffer/actions/runs/15096666576/job/42432280555#step:13:9

[fredden]

I've looked into this. I have found that since version 2.14.0, the library has changed the its soname. After learning this, I found it is listed in their NEWS file: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/blob/v2.14.0/NEWS#L11-12
Because PHP is compiled with the old soname, it's not finding the new library that we're compiling here.

I think this means that PHP needs to be compiled to support the new soname / ABI for this library version. I don't love the idea of doing that within a pipeline here. Are there any other PHP images which already have libxml2 version 2.14.0 or later available?

[jrfnl]

I've looked into this. I have found that since version 2.14.0, the library has changed the its soname. After learning this, I found it is listed in their NEWS file: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/blob/v2.14.0/NEWS#L11-12 Because PHP is compiled with the old soname, it's not finding the new library that we're compiling here.

Thank you for looking into this @fredden ! Sounds like you've identified the cause why this build isn't working.

I think this means that PHP needs to be compiled to support the new soname / ABI for this library version. I don't love the idea of doing that within a pipeline here.

Nor me. It might be worth checking if this is already on the radar of the PHP project itself ? My knowledge of the way the compiling works is limited, but I wonder if there is something which can be updated in the PHP build pipeline and/or in how the external extension is recognized.
I have no qualms about waiting with adding this to our pipeline until the PHP project itself officially supports libxml 2.14.

Are there any other PHP images which already have libxml2 version 2.14.0 or later available?

@remicollet I have a feeling you are better positioned to answer this ?

[jrfnl]

Some very loosely related tickets I found about libxml 2.14 support in the PHP project:

• Test failures with upcoming libxml2 2.14 php/php-src#18009
• libxml2-2.14.0 will change behaviour of DOMProcessingInstruction php/php-src#18486