Does the apache/php5 package include Zend?

Question

I'm loading up a fresh development computer for one of my new hires. As a standard, I put in a very basic LAMP server on all of our development computers. The one I'm currently loading is running 12.04 x64. I load in the following packages:

• apache2
• mysql-server
• php5
• phpmyadmin

And I pretty much say yes to all of their dependencies.

I put in a phpinfo() file into the root of my /var/www to double check what comes with the base install of LAMP, and was surprised to find a section on Zend. Specifically it says:

This program makes use of the Zend Scripting Language Engine: Zend Engine v2.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2012 Zend Technologies

Does that mean that the base install of a LAMP server includes Zend? We don't use Zend anywhere in our stack, and I don't love the idea of it being installed on our computers without any specific use.

Answer 1

AFAIK zend engine is the core of php and according to wikipedia its vm of php. I think you cannot avoid zend engine if you need to work with php. But if you are talking about Zend-Framework it won't install during LAMP installation.

Answer 2

I don't quite understand your question. To run PHP code, you need a program that can understand understand PHP. This is either Zend Engine (the branch by Dmitry called PHPNG has been merged on v7.0), Websphere sMash, Phalanger, HipHop VM, HippyVM, Parrot, Quercus, or some other program. (Note: Every engine is saying that they are faster than every other engine. Note note: Zend admits "...it's a fact that HHVM is slightly faster, by 10%".)

You had most likely downloaded a PHP engine from Zend since your phpinfo() is showing "program makes use of the Zend Scripting Language Engine..." which is exactly what you would have seen if you had downloaded it from php.net/releases:

C:\php-5.6.7-Win32-VC11-x86>php -r"phpinfo();"|find/i"zend"|find/i"engine"
This program makes use of the Zend Scripting Language Engine:
Zend Engine v2.6.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2015 Zend Technologies

(Above is Windows' find command. For Ubuntu, use grep.)

There's also no trace of Zend Guard or Zend Optimizer in your phpinfo() output so you indeed have the "basic" version. Either that, or your server had some settings mixed up.