How to use the command "phpize" (with examples)

PHP extensions are modules that add additional functionality to the PHP language. These extensions need to be prepared and compiled before they can be used. The phpize command is used to prepare a PHP extension for compiling. This command is typically used when developing custom PHP extensions or when installing extensions from PECL (PHP Extension Community Library).

In this article, we will explore the various use cases of the phpize command and provide examples for each use case.

1. Preparing the PHP Extension in the Current Directory

The phpize command can be used to prepare the PHP extension in the current directory for compiling. This is the most basic use case of the phpize command.

Code Example:

phpize

Motivation:

By running phpize in the current directory, we can prepare the PHP extension for compiling. This is necessary before compiling the extension into a shared library that can be loaded by PHP.

Explanation:

Running phpize in the current directory will generate the necessary configuration files and setup the environment for compiling the PHP extension.

Example Output:

Configuring for:
PHP Api Version:         20200930
Zend Module Api No:      20200930
Zend Extension Api No:   420200930

The output shows the PHP API version, Zend Module API number, and Zend Extension API number that will be used for compiling the PHP extension.

2. Deleting Files Previously Created by phpize

The phpize command also provides an option --clean to delete all the files previously created by phpize. This can be useful when we want to start fresh and remove any previously generated files.

Code Example:

phpize --clean

Motivation:

There may be situations where we want to delete all the files generated by phpize to start fresh. This ensures that any old configuration settings or files won’t interfere with the new compilation.

Explanation:

Running phpize with the --clean option will delete all the files previously created by phpize in the current directory.

Example Output:

All files cleaned.

The output confirms that all the files previously generated by phpize have been deleted.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the different use cases of the phpize command and provided examples for each use case. We learned how to prepare a PHP extension for compiling in the current directory using phpize and how to delete files previously created by phpize using the --clean option.

Understanding and using the phpize command is essential when developing custom PHP extensions or installing extensions from PECL. It allows us to generate the necessary configuration files and setup the environment for compiling PHP extensions.