php4 and php3 execution

[mbasil]

I want to ask something about how php 3 and php4 execute a script.
i know that php isnt't a compiler but interpreter. is this right?
i ask this because i want to write an exercise for my univercity and i'm confused between php3 execution and php4 execution.
Any help?
thanks in advance.
michael.

[rocklv]

I wish this will be helpful:

OS tested successfully:

Linux(include binutils 2.9.1.0.25 tested successfully)
Solaris 2.5 or over
FreeBSD(3.2£¬4.0 tested successfully)

you need to configure APXS (with --with-apxs args) and (with --enable-versioning args) in php3 and php4
and others is same as the normal installation.

such as:

$ ./configure \
  --with-apxs=/apache/bin/apxs \
  --enable-versioning \
  --with-mysql \
  --enable-track-vars

ps: sorry about my poor english

[laserlight]

Yes, PHP code is interpreted at runtime.

Why dont you read say:

http://www.php.net/manual/en/history.php

and other articles around php.net