PHP source protection
Darwvin Encoder
Ship PHP code without shipping your source.
Compile PHP into encrypted bytecode, lock each build to a domain, server IP and expiry date, and check licenses against your own license server.
Before you buy:setup guide and requirements
Darwvin Encoder — desktop app
The problem it solves
Once PHP source is on a customer's server it can be copied, modified and redeployed on other domains. Obfuscators only rename variables; the logic stays readable.
Built for
- Vendors selling PHP plugins, modules and scripts
- Agencies delivering code to client servers
- Software companies offering self-hosted installs
What it does
Compiled, encrypted output
PHP source is compiled into Darwvin bytecode and encrypted, so protected files contain no readable PHP. A loader extension runs the code on the target server.
Domain, IP and expiry locks
Each build can be bound to a domain, a server IP address and an expiry date. Moved or expired code refuses to run.
Per-customer keys
Payload keys are wrapped per customer and builds carry a signed manifest, so one customer's build can't be used to unlock another's.
License-server validation
Protected code can check its license token against a license server — ours or one you run — so you can revoke access remotely.
Batch encoding
Encode whole project directories in one run, keeping the folder structure intact.
Desktop app
A desktop app for batch jobs and saved profiles. It also minifies and obfuscates JavaScript and CSS assets that ship alongside your PHP.
Where teams use it
Commercial plugins and modules
Sell per-domain licenses and stop one purchase from running on every site.
Client deliveries
Install on a client's server with an expiry date until the final invoice is paid.
On-premise editions
Offer a self-hosted version of your SaaS without handing over the codebase.
Requirements and integrations
The setup guide lists every requirement and shows the exact configuration, so you can check compatibility before you buy.
- Source code
- PHP 8.0 or newer
- Target servers
- Linux with the Darwvin loader extension installed
- Hosting
- Servers where you can install a PHP extension — most shared hosting plans don't allow this
- License checks
- Optional; needs outbound HTTPS from the target server
- PHP 8.x
- Linux servers
- Darwvin loader extension
- Self-hosted license server
Delivery
Encoding as a managed service by Darwvin, or a self-hosted setup for teams whose source must not leave their own infrastructure. We agree the model with each customer.
Support
Onboarding, help integrating license checks, and loader builds for your target PHP versions.
See how licensing and buying work, the software license and the refund policy.
Questions
Is this obfuscation?
No. PHP is compiled to bytecode and encrypted; the original source is not in the protected files. No protection is absolute, but this raises the cost of copying far beyond renaming variables.
Do my customers need anything installed?
Yes — the Darwvin loader extension for their PHP version on a Linux server.
Can it protect JavaScript and CSS?
Browsers must be able to read JavaScript and CSS, so they can't be encrypted. The desktop app minifies and obfuscates them to make copying harder.
Is PHP 7.4 supported?
No. Darwvin Encoder targets PHP 8.0 and newer.
Something not answered here? Ask us directly.
Need changes or a custom integration? Start a project
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