The new Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) in PHP 7 means the way our PHP code is being executed has changed. Understanding this new fundamental compilation step is key to understanding how our code is being run. To demonstrate, James will show how a basic compiler works and how introducing an AST simplifies this process. We’ll look into how these magical time-warp techniques* can also be used in your code to introspect, analyse and modify code in a way that was never possible before. After seeing this talk, you’ll have a great insight as to the wonders of an AST, and how it can be applied to both compilers and userland code. (*actual magic or time-warp not guaranteed)