goenv vs PHPBrew

goenv manages Go versions on Linux and macOS using a model similar to pyenv and rbenv. It supports global selections, per-project versions, and environment-variable overrides. Shim executables placed in PATH route Go commands to the selected installation, enabling automatic switching and project version pinning. The installation guide says goenv downloads prebuilt Go binaries provided by Google, while new Go versions are added automatically on a daily cron schedule. The project identifies v3 as its current stable version and recommends it for new installations; it says v3 is fully backward compatible with v2. Version 2 receives security patches and critical bug fixes, with support ending on or before December 31, 2028. Setup documentation covers Bash and Zsh, including a .bashrc note for Ubuntu. Installation options include Homebrew and ZPlug for Zsh, and the README includes AWS CodeBuild guidance. goenv is free under the MIT license.

PHPBrew builds and installs multiple PHP versions in a user’s home directory, including without root permission. It is intended for Linux and macOS and compiles PHP from source. Build variants simplify configuration choices such as PDO, MySQL, SQLite, and debug support. Users can temporarily select a version or change the default, with bash and zsh integration for switching and project version pinning. PHPBrew installs extensions from PHP source or PECL and can create configuration to enable them. It can compile Apache PHP modules and provides PHP-FPM management commands when PHP is built with the +fpm variant. Library lookup can use Homebrew, MacPorts, Debian, Ubuntu, or a custom path. Development packages must be installed before building. The project uses the MIT license and directs users to troubleshooting and wiki documentation. Builds of PHP versions no longer officially supported are not guaranteed, and issues involving versions older than 5.4 will not be fixed. The listed plan costs nothing.