A formal PHP RFC proposes a new `.phpc` file extension that allows PHP files to be parsed as pure code without requiring the `<?php` opening tag. The lexer would enter scripting mode on the first byte, while UTF-8 BOMs and CLI shebangs are silently skipped. The patch is ~50 lines of C in the Zend lexer with 15 new tests and zero regressions. The RFC is strictly additive — existing `.php` behavior is unchanged. Community discussion reveals skepticism: some argue the motivation is weak since `<?php` is only 5 characters, while the RFC author concedes some arguments were overstated and refines the core motivation to: PHP is the only modern mainstream language requiring such an opener for pure-code files. Open issues include the final extension name (.phpc/.phpp/.pcode/.phpx), backward compatibility, and security concerns around misconfigured web servers serving the new extension.
