Attention all PHP fans! We are deploying 3 new indispensable features when it comes to PHP management.
1. PHP 5.5 Is Now Available!
As I write these lines, certain servers already support it, and the rest of our servers will be updated in the next few weeks, allowing you to use the latest stable PHP version (5.5). You can start using this new version (once the server on which you are hosted is updated) after selecting it from the Software section of your Panelbox Control Panel. Our Knowledge base can help you through this easy modification!
2. It Gets Faster with FastCGI!
There are many ways to handle PHP requests on a server. We used to use suPHP because it allows us to know which user is a running a PHP script, and because it is the default handler on our Apache servers. However, it is quite slow at processing PHP requests, which is why we have decided to opt for FastCGI, a PHP handler that offers relatively the same advantages as suPHP, but is faster and offers better overall performances. Your PHP pages will therefore display faster than ever!
3. New PHP Settings & Extensions Management!
We always want to make your life easier, therefore the php.ini configuration becomes unnecessary. You can now configure and modify your PHP settings, or activate certain modules, directly from Panelbox (cPanel)!
To personalize your PHP settings, from Panelbox, go to the Software > PHP Configurations section, where you will be able to select modules/extensions to activate (or deactivate).
You can also configure your own PHP settings by selecting the Show PHP Settings button.
For more information on how to modify your PHP settings, you can view this article from our Knowledge Base.
Update: Configuration Standardization
In order to take advantage of these new features that come along the installation of “PHP Selector”, we had to standardize our PHP management. Here are the impacts this standardization:
One PHP version per account: If you use multiple PHP versions, we will use the most recent one that is configured in your account and apply it to your entire hosting space. This process is done in every account independently, in order to avoid compatibility problems, which is why we leave it up to you to modify your PHP version manually, if you consider it necessary.
Obsolete php.ini files: The file will remain in your account, but will no longer be considered by the server. Obviously, all personalized settings you may have configured are copied during the installation of the new PHP version on the server, and attributed to the new PHP management system.
New hosting accounts: Any new hosting account will now be configured with PHP5.5! If you wish to use a previous version, you just need to modify it from the Panelbox control panel.
No other modifications to the way you manage PHP are foreseen.
If you believe you are in one of the aforementioned situations, and that the intervention could cause you some problems, please contact our team immediately.
