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PHP Extensions

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To streamline website deployment and enhance compatibility, all new websites include a curated set of commonly used PHP extensions. These are automatically installed and enabled on provisioning, providing optimal out-of-the-box functionality and reducing plugin-related support issues.

Extension List & Compatibility

Pre-Installed PHP Extensions

The following extensions are included by default on all new website templates, based on PHP extensions from WordPress:

Module

Description

Library

json

Used for communications with other servers and processing data in JSON format.

bundled in >=8.0.0

mysqli

Connects to MySQL for database interactions.

libmysql

curl

Performs remote request operations.

libcurl

dom

Used to validate Text Widget content and to automatically configure IIS7+.

libxml

exif

Works with metadata stored in images.

php-mbstring

fileinfo

Used to detect mimetype of file uploads.

hash

Used for hashing, including passwords and update packages.

igbinary

Increases performance as a drop-in replacement for the standard PHP serializer.

imagick

Provides better image quality for media uploads.

imagemagick

intl

Performs locale-aware operations.

icu

mbstring

Used to properly handle UTF8 text.

openssl

SSL-based connections to other hosts.

openssl

pcre

Increases performance of pattern matching in code searches.

xml

Used for XML parsing, such as from a third-party site.

libxml

zip

Used for decompressing Plugins, Themes, and WordPress update packages.

libzip

apcu

In-memory key-value store for PHP.

memcached

High-performance, distributed memory object caching system.

opcache

PHP can preload scripts into the opcache when the engine starts.

redis

PHP extension for interfacing with Redis.

timezonedb

Timezone Database to be used with PHP's date and time functions.

bcmath

For arbitrary precision mathematics.

filter

Used for securely filtering user input.

gd

Fallback for image manipulation if Imagick is not installed.

iconv

Used to convert between character sets.

shmop

Allows PHP to work with Unix shared memory segments.

simplexml

Used for XML parsing.

sodium

Validates signatures and provides securely random bytes.

xmlreader

Used for XML parsing.

libxml

zlib

Gzip compression and decompression.

zlib

ssh2

Provides secure access to remote machines.

openssl

ftp

Client access to FTP file servers.

sockets

Implements low-level socket communication functions.

pdo

Defines interface for accessing databases.

pdo_sqlite

SQLite PDO driver.

pdo_mysql

MySQL PDO driver.

pdo_odbc

ODBC PDO driver.

pdo_pgsql

PostgreSQL PDO driver.

dba

Access to Berkeley DB style databases.

bzip2

Handles bzip2 compressed files.

sqlite3

Support for SQLite version 3 databases.

calendar

Functions for converting between calendar formats.

gettext

Functions for internationalizing PHP apps.

gmp

Handles arbitrary-length integers.

soap

Used to write SOAP Servers and Clients.

xsl

Performs XSLT transformations.

libxslt

pcntl

Unix-style process control (not for web server environments).

pear

Note: This list may evolve based on template usage, plugin trends, and community best practices.

Compatibility Assurance

Extensions are chosen based on:

  • Usage data from existing websites.
  • Template and CMS compatibility (e.g., WordPress).
  • Industry-standard recommendations.

Security & Source Assurance

All extensions are:

  • Sourced from trusted PHP and Linux package repositories.
  • Scanned regularly using antivirus/malware tools.
  • Monitored for security advisories (CVE tracking, vendor bulletins).

Support Scope

What We Support

  • Ensuring extensions are available and active on newly provisioned sites.
  • Troubleshooting missing or disabled pre-installed extensions.

What We Don't Support

  • Custom extension installation requests.
  • Debugging third-party plugins or themes relying on unsupported or obscure extensions.
  • Modifying server-level PHP behavior outside the base template.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I request a new extension to be added to the base image?
A: Resellers can't install PHP extensions directly. Requests for additions can be submitted for review but aren't guaranteed.

Q: How can I check which PHP extensions are currently installed?
A: Using phpinfo. See Checking Your PHPinfo Page for instructions.

Q: Are these extensions updated automatically?
A: Yes, they are maintained through our server patching and image update process.


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