This guide explains the process of enabling Apache DSO mod_php and Zend OpCache on CentOS Web Panel (CWP). Using Apache mod_php (DSO) significantly enhances performance, especially for high-traffic sites.

Additionally, enabling OpCache further boosts the speed of PHP applications by caching precompiled scripts. However, note that enabling DSO disables PHP Selector functionality in CWP.

Key Benefits

• Performance: Apache mod_php combined with OpCache can enhance WordPress performance by 30% and up to 60% with additional caching mechanisms like Memcached and Redis.
• Compatibility: Apache mod_php supports opcode caching, providing a robust choice for high-traffic websites.

Step-by-Step Installation

Step 1: Build the Latest Version of Apache

1. Run the following commands to install the required dependencies and build Apache with the desired configuration:

yum install apr-devel apr-util-devel apr apr-util libuuid libuuid-devel uuid uuid-devel -y
cd /usr/local/src
rm -rf /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf.bak
mv /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf.bak
rm -rf /usr/local/php/php.d/ioncube.ini

wget http://mirrors.fibergrid.in/apache//httpd/httpd-2.4.37.tar.gz
tar zxvf httpd-2.4.37.tar.gz
cd httpd-2.4.37
./configure --enable-so --prefix=/usr/local/apache --with-mpm=prefork --enable-unique-id --enable-ssl=shared --enable-rewrite --enable-deflate --enable-suexec --with-suexec-docroot=/home --with-suexec-caller=nobody --with-suexec-logfile=/usr/local/apache/logs/suexec_log --enable-asis --enable-filter --with-pcre --with-apr=/usr/bin/apr-1-config --with-apr-util=/usr/bin/apu-1-config --enable-headers --enable-expires --enable-proxy --enable-rewrite --enable-userdir 
make clean
make && make install

cp /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf.bak /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf
mv /usr/local/apache/conf.d/suphp.conf /usr/local/apache/conf.d/suphp.conf.bak
echo "AddType text/javascript .js" >> /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf
echo "AddType text/css .css" >> /usr/local/apache/conf/httpd.conf

2. Restart Apache:

service httpd restart

Step 2: Install PHP Versions (5.6/7.0/7.1/7.2)

Choose your preferred PHP version and follow the respective installation steps:

For PHP 5.6:

rm -rf /usr/local/php-5-6
mkdir -p /usr/local/php-5-6
cd /usr/local/php-5-6
wget http://php.net/distributions/php-5.6.40.tar.gz
tar zxvf php-5.6.40.tar.gz
cd php-5.6.40
./configure --with-config-file-path=/usr/local/php --with-config-file-scan-dir=/usr/local/php/php.d \
--with-zlib --enable-soap --with-mysql-sock=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock --enable-opcache
make && make install

For PHP 7.0, 7.1, or 7.2:

Follow similar commands, replacing the version numbers with your desired PHP version (e.g., 7.0.32, 7.1.30, 7.2.19).

Step 3: Configure Permissions and Enable OpCache

Set appropriate permissions and configure OpCache:

rm -rf /usr/local/php/php.d/opcache.ini
touch /usr/local/php/php.d/opcache.ini
echo "zend_extension=opcache.so" > /usr/local/php/php.d/opcache.ini
service httpd restart
find /home/*/public_html/ -type d -exec chmod 777 {} \;
find /home/*/public_html/ -type f -exec chmod 777 {} \;
chown -R nobody:nobody /home/*/public_html

Repeat these commands whenever adding new domains, subdomains, or user accounts.

Step 4: Verify Installation

Restart Apache and verify PHP installation:

service httpd restart
php -v

You can also check the PHP version and configuration in the CWP dashboard: Navigate to CWP Dashboard > PHP Settings > PHP Info.

Reverting to suPHP

If needed, you can revert back to suPHP using the following commands:

rm -rf /usr/local/php/php.d/opcache.ini
yum remove cwp-httpd -y && yum install cwp-httpd -y
yum remove cwp-suphp -y && yum install cwp-suphp -y
yum remove cwp-php -y && yum install cwp-php -y

That’s It!

By following this guide, you can successfully enable Apache DSO mod_php and Zend OpCache, optimizing performance for PHP-based applications.