How Can I Execute Time-Consuming PHP Processes in the Background Without Blocking the User?

Executing Background Processes in PHP

Executing time-consuming processes, such as directory copying, without stalling the user experience can be a challenge. This article introduces a solution that enables such tasks to run in the background.

Background Process Execution

To initiate a directory copy without user interruption, consider the following steps:

1. Use exec() to Launch the Command:
   Employ exec to launch the copy command, redirecting output to a file ($outputfile) and appending the process ID to another file ($pidfile). This ensures continuous monitoring.

   exec(sprintf("%s > %s 2>&1 & echo $! >> %s", $cmd, $outputfile, $pidfile));

2. Monitor Process Status:
   Implement the isRunning function to track the process's status based on its PID.

   function isRunning($pid){
       try{
           $result = shell_exec(sprintf("ps %d", $pid));
           if( count(preg_split("/\n/", $result)) > 2){
               return true;
           }
       }catch(Exception $e){}
   
       return false;
   }

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