Running a long-running PHP script as a background job is a good approach for a task like rebuilding pricing, especially to avoid max execution time issues. Here are a few options to consider for running this task efficiently:

1. Use a Queue System

A queue system allows you to process jobs in the background without timing out. Laravel, for instance, has built-in support for queues, but you can also set up a custom queue in vanilla PHP using libraries like BeeQueue or RabbitMQ.

• Steps:
  • Write your PHP script as a queue worker that processes jobs.
  • Use a queuing library to add jobs to the queue.
  • Run the queue worker in the background using a command like php your_script.php.

Pros: – You can easily scale and manage the queue. – You won’t have to worry about timeouts.

Cons: – Requires setting up a queue system (like Redis, RabbitMQ).

2. Use exec() or shell_exec() in PHP

You can run your PHP script as a background process using exec() or shell_exec() by triggering the script through a PHP page or command line:

• Steps:
  • Wrap your script in a PHP file.
  • Call the script using exec('php your_script.php > /dev/null 2>&1 &') to run it in the background.
  • You can store the process ID (PID) and check its status if needed.

Pros: – Simple to implement. – No third-party tools required.

Cons: – Not as scalable or manageable as a proper queue system. – Limited error handling.

3. Run as a Cron Job

You can also set up a cron job to run the script at a specific interval or on-demand:

• Steps:
  • Create a PHP script for rebuilding the pricing.
  • Set up a cron job that runs the script (e.g., every night or as needed).
  • Example cron job: * * * * * php /path/to/your_script.php > /dev/null 2>&1.

Pros: – Simple to set up and manage. – No max execution time issues.

Cons: – Harder to trigger in real time compared to other solutions.

4. Using SQL Jobs for Rebuilding Pricing

If your pricing rebuild involves a lot of SQL operations, you might want to move the logic into a SQL Stored Procedure or a database job:

• Steps:
  • Create a stored procedure in your database to rebuild pricing.
  • Trigger the procedure from PHP using SQL (via PDO or mysqli).
  • Use PHP to check the status of the stored procedure (or use SQL triggers).

Pros: – Faster processing, as it’s directly on the database. – No PHP timeouts to worry about.

Cons: – Requires SQL expertise to implement logic within the database.

5. Running the Script via Supervisord

Supervisord can manage background processes like your PHP script:

• Steps:
  • Install supervisord on your server.
  • Configure supervisord to manage your PHP script.
  • The script will run as a background service, restarting if it fails.

Pros: – Manages background processes well. – Automatic restarts if the script fails.

Cons: – Requires server-level setup for supervisord.

6. Notify a Webpage When Done

To notify a webpage when the script is done (if using a queue system or background process):

• Approach:
  • You can store the job’s progress/status in the database.
  • Use AJAX polling or WebSockets on your webpage to check the status.
  • Once the script completes, update the status and notify the webpage.

Example:

• Script writes to a jobs table in the database with a status (pending, processing, done).
• Webpage polls the status every X seconds and displays a message when the job is done.

Final Recommendation:

If you’re looking for scalability, error handling, and simplicity, I recommend setting up a queue system (such as Laravel Queues or RabbitMQ). You can process each pricing job as a queue, with a background worker handling the task.