How to protect PHP code

How to protect PHP code

Convert and protect your PHP scripts to unreadable, but still executable. This is a list of tools you can use to protect your PHP code.

There're free and paid tools for encode your php script. Personally I like Byterun Online Free PHP Encoder for a small job, it's an online tool and cost nothing but if you're in a big project you may looking for other tools.

What will happened to PHP scripts after encoded

Before encode

<?php
 echo "Hello World";
?>

After encoded

<?php $_F=__FILE__;$_X='Pz48P3BocA0KNWNoMiAiSDVsbDIgVzJybGQiOw0KPz4=';
eval(base64_decode('JF9YPWJhc2U2NF9kZWNvZGUoJF9YKTskX1g9c3RydHIoJF9YLC
cxMjM0NTZhb3VpZScsJ2FvdWllMTIzNDU2Jyk7JF9SPWVyZWdfcmVwbGFjZSgnX19GS
UxFX18nLCInIi4kX0YuIiciLCRfWCk7ZXZhbCgkX1IpOyRfUj0wOyRfWD0wOw=='));?>

As you see PHP code after encoded, you don't understand it, but this code still executable and the result is the same as result before encode.

Here is the list of tools

Online PHP Encoder Tools
Byterun Online Free PHP Encoder	Free
ionCube Online PHP Encoder	$0.50/job

PHP Encoder Software
ByteRun Protector for PHP	$49
ionCube PHP Encoder	$199
PHTML Encoder	$119
Zend Guard	$696
Sourceguardian	$250
NuSphere Nu-Coder	$149
Obfuscate PHP	Freeware
TrueBug PHP Encoder	$24.95

Credit: You can read original article here!