Does Facebook Use Any Kind of PHP Framework or Does It Have Its Own?

Facebook’s initial platform was built using PHP, but over time, it developed its own PHP framework called Hack. Hack is a programming language that serves as a dialect of PHP, designed to improve performance and developer productivity. This article delves into the evolution of Facebook's technological stack, focusing on how it transitioned from using PHP to developing its own custom frameworks and tools. We will explore the significance of PHP, Hack, and other key technologies used by Facebook to optimize and scale its platform.

From PHP to Hack: The Beginning

Initially, Facebook utilized PHP to build its platform. However, as the company grew and faced challenges in terms of performance and scalability, it developed its own PHP framework, Hack. Hack introduces static typing and other features that significantly enhance the PHP development experience. This new framework allowed Facebook to achieve better performance and manage its growing codebase more effectively.

The Impact of Hack and Other Technologies

Hack is a crucial component of Facebook's technological ecosystem. It was designed to improve PHP's performance and developer productivity. Additionally, Facebook has adopted and modified other technologies to further support its infrastructure. Some of the key tools and technologies used by Facebook include:

HipHop Virtual Machine (HHVM)

The HipHop Virtual Machine (HHVM) is a virtual machine specifically designed for running programs written in Hack and PHP. HHVM significantly outperforms traditional PHP interpreters by a substantial margin. It has been instrumental in enhancing the performance of Facebook's platform and ensuring that the site can handle millions of concurrent users efficiently.

React

Developed by Facebook, React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It simplifies the process of creating and managing complex user interfaces, making it easier for developers to build scalable and efficient web applications. React has been widely adopted by many other companies and has become a standard tool in the modern web development landscape.

GraphQL

GraphQL, another creation by Facebook, is a query language for APIs. It allows clients to request only the data they need, reducing the amount of data transferred and improving the overall performance of web applications. By using GraphQL, developers can build more efficient and flexible APIs, which is particularly beneficial for large-scale applications like those used by Facebook.

Anecdotal Evidence and Observations

While the official stance from Facebook on its technological stack is clear, there are anecdotal pieces of evidence that suggest the company has a custom development culture. The article mentions that before Hack became fully adopted, Facebook was already using a system that was very similar to WordPress's BuddyPress. This suggests that Facebook had a history of customizing and adapting existing technologies to fit its specific needs.

The article also notes that the early version of Facebook used hyperlinks that were identical to user IDs, a known security weakness in BuddyPress that was fixed once Facebook moved to California. This indicates that the team was familiar with WordPress and BuddyPress, leading to the possibility that some of their early technical choices were influenced by these platforms.

Conclusion: Scale and Custom Engineering

Facebook's technological approach is deeply rooted in the need for customization and optimization at scale. While PHP played a significant role in the early days, the company gradually developed and adopted its own tools to handle the immense traffic and demands of its platform. This custom engineering approach has resulted in a highly efficient and scalable system that continues to serve millions of users.

For those working on smaller-scale projects, the decisions and technologies used by Facebook might seem daunting. However, the principles of optimization, performance improvement, and leveraging custom tools can still be applied in a more practical and manageable way within a team of a few dozen engineers.