WSO2 Web Services Framework for PHP brings new enterprise capabilities to popular web language

Colombo, Sri Lanka – August 22, 2007 – WSO2, the open source middleware company, announced today the launch of the WSO2 Web Services Framework for PHP (WSF/PHP) 1.0 open source framework for providing and consuming Web services in PHP. WSF/PHP 1.0 is the only extension to the popular PHP scripting language that supports the full Web services (WS*-) stack. For the first time, developers can bring to PHP security and reliable messaging that are required for trusted, enterprise-class SOAP-based Web services.

WSF/PHP 1.0 is one of the first PHP extensions to support the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) on both the client and server side, as well as backward compatibility with the PHP5 SOAP extension. As a result, developers can create new PHP-based Web services and enable the use of existing code in Web services that take advantage of the WSF/PHP’s enterprise-class capabilities.

WSF/PHP 1.0 is a binding of the Web Services Framework for C (WSF/C) into PHP, providing a fully open source PHP extension based on Apache Axis2/C, Apache Sandesha2/C, and Apache Rampart/C. ( See the WSO2 WSF/C press release also dated August 22, 2007 for more information.)

“PHP is one of the world’s most widely used scripting languages for creating interactive Web applications, but its broader adoption hinges on the ability to support the enterprise functionality required for business-critical Web services,” said Sanjiva Weerawarana, CEO of WSO2. “With WSF/PHP 1.0, we extend our commitment to enabling a heterogeneous world of Web services by providing organizations with a trusted platform for integrating PHP into their service-oriented architectures.”

“Zend and WSO2 share a common goal of providing best-in-class open-source software for developing and deploying Web services,” said Andi Gutmans, co-CTO and co-founder at Zend Technologies. “WSO2’s WSF/PHP, with its full support for the WS*- stack provides a strong complement to our proven PHP development platform. Together, they empower the developers supporting more than 20 million PHP Web sites with unprecedented capabilities for delivering true, enterprise-class SOAP-based Web services.”

The WSO2 Web Services Framework for PHP supports basic Web services standards, including SOAP 1.1, SOAP 1.2, WSDL 1.1 and WSDL 2.0. It is fully tested and provides proven interoperability with Microsoft .NET, the Apache Axis2/Java-based WSO2 Web Services Application Server (WSAS), and other J2EE implementations. Key features of WSF/PHP 1.0 are:

• Full support for the WS*- stack includes WS-Addressing, WS-Security, WS-SecurityPolicy, WS-Reliable Messaging, and SOAP Message Transmission Optimization Mechanism (MTOM).
• Secure Web services are enabled by advanced WS*-Security features, such as encryption and signing of SOAP messages. Users also can send messages with UsernameToken and TimeStamp support.
• Reliable messaging for Web services and clients means basic SOAP messages, as well as messages with attachments can be sent in a reliable way.
• Backward compatibility with PHP5 lets developers use their existing code as is within the WSF/PHP.
• WSDL generation lets developers generate WSDL for PHP service scripts (serving WSDL 1.1 or WSDL 2.0).
• WSDL mode supports a contract-first style of implementing Web services. A user can simply provide a WSDL and implement Web services and clients based on the interface given in the WSDL.
• Attachments with Web services and clients take two forms. Users can send and receive attachments with SOAP messages in optimized formats and non-optimized formats with MTOM support.
• REST support lets a single service be exposed both as a SOAP-style and as a REST-style service. The client API also supports invoking REST services using HTTP GET and POST methods.

WSF/PHP has been tested on Windows XP with Microsoft Visual C++ versions 7.1 and 8.0, as well as with Linux GCC 4.1.1.