How to install APC (Alternative PHP Cache) in Linux

To Install APC (Alternative PHP Cache) in Linux

APC -Alternate PHP Cache is an open source cache for PHP code. It provides robust framework for caching and optimizing PHP code. The procedures to install and enable APC caching for PHP in Linux is explained.

Installation of Dependency Packages for APC

Firstly install required packages namely pecl, phpize and apxs commands, in order to install APC using YUM package manager tool.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# yum install php-pear php-devel httpd-devel pcre-devel gcc make -y
Loaded plugins: aliases, changelog, fastestmirror, kabi, presto, refresh-packagekit, security, tmprepo, verify, versionlock
Loading support for CentOS kernel ABI
Setting up Install Process
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: centos.excellmedia.net
 * extras: centos.excellmedia.net
 * updates: centos.excellmedia.net
Package pcre-devel-7.8-7.el6.x86_64 already installed and latest version
Resolving Dependencies
-->  Running transaction check
--->  Package gcc.x86_64 0:4.4.7-16.el6 will be updated
-->  Processing Dependency: gcc = 4.4.7-16.el6 for package: gcc-java-4.4.7-16.el6.x86_64
-->  Processing Dependency: gcc = 4.4.7-16.el6 for package: gcc-gfortran-4.4.7-16.el6.x86_64
-->  Processing Dependency: gcc = 4.4.7-16.el6 for package: gcc-c++-4.4.7-16.el6.x86_64
-->  Processing Dependency: gcc = 4.4.7-16.el6 for package: gcc-objc-4.4.7-16.el6.x86_64
-->  Processing Dependency: gcc = 4.4.7-16.el6 for package: gcc-gnat-4.4.7-16.el6.x86_64
.
.
.
Installed:
  php-devel.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6                                                                                                      

Updated:
  gcc.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6   httpd-devel.x86_64 0:2.2.15-53.el6.centos   make.x86_64 1:3.81-23.el6   php-pear.noarch 1:1.9.4-5.el6  

Dependency Updated:
  cpp.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                     gcc-c++.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6           gcc-gfortran.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6            
  gcc-gnat.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                gcc-java.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6          gcc-objc.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                
  gcc-objc++.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6              httpd.x86_64 0:2.2.15-53.el6.centos     httpd-manual.noarch 0:2.2.15-53.el6.centos    
  httpd-tools.x86_64 0:2.2.15-53.el6.centos     libgcc.i686 0:4.4.7-17.el6              libgcc.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                  
  libgcj.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                  libgcj-devel.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6      libgfortran.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6             
  libgnat.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                 libgnat-devel.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6     libgomp.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                 
  libobjc.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6                 libstdc++.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6         libstdc++-devel.x86_64 0:4.4.7-17.el6         
  mod_ssl.x86_64 1:2.2.15-53.el6.centos         php.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6               php-cli.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6                 
  php-common.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6              php-gd.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6            php-ldap.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6                
  php-mysql.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6               php-odbc.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6          php-pdo.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6                 
  php-pgsql.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6               php-soap.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6          php-xml.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6                 
  php-xmlrpc.x86_64 0:5.3.3-47.el6             

Complete!

Installating APC Using PECL

Use PECL command to install it and ensure to select default settings when asked.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# pecl install apc
downloading APC-3.1.13.tgz ...
Starting to download APC-3.1.13.tgz (171,591 bytes)
.....................................done: 171,591 bytes
55 source files, building
running: phpize
Configuring for:
PHP Api Version:         20090626
Zend Module Api No:      20090626
Zend Extension Api No:   220090626
Enable internal debugging in APC [no] : 
Enable per request file info about files used from the APC cache [no] : 
Enable spin locks (EXPERIMENTAL) [no] : 
Enable memory protection (EXPERIMENTAL) [no] : 
Enable pthread mutexes (default) [no] : 
Enable pthread read/write locks (EXPERIMENTAL) [yes] : 
building in /var/tmp/pear-build-rootF4pGGV/APC-3.1.13
.
.
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Build process completed successfully
Installing ' /usr/include/php/ext/apc/apc_serializer.h' 
Installing ' /usr/lib64/php/modules/apc.so' 
install ok: channel://pecl.php.net/APC-3.1.13
configuration option " php_ini"  is not set to php.ini location
You should add " extension=apc.so"  to php.ini

The following command enables APC extension in Apache configuration.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# echo " extension=apc.so"  >  /etc/php.d/apc.ini

Restart Apache Service for APC

Restart the Apache service to bring new changes.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# service httpd restart
Stopping httpd:                                            [  OK  ]
Starting httpd:                                            [  OK  ]

Verifing APC

Now you have to create a file info.php in Apache web root directory. For instance, /var/www/html/info.php

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# vim /var/www/html/info.php

Next add the following code to it, then save and close.

< ?php

phpinfo() 

?> 

Navigate to http://localhost/info.php

Enabling PHP administration

In order to enable APC administration panel, copy the following file.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# cp /usr/share/pear/apc.php /var/www/html/

Open the file apc.php with VI editor.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# vim /var/www/html/apc.php 

Set your username and password in the file apc.php.

defaults(' ADMIN_USERNAME' ,' admin' )  // Admin Username
defaults(' ADMIN_PASSWORD' ,' linuxc' )  // Admin Password - CHANGE THIS TO ENABLE!!!

Navigate to http://localhost/apc.php

To View Host information status, click View Host Stats tab.

To view cache entries, click System Cache Entries tab.3

Click User Cache Entries.

APC Login Screen prompts. Type the user credentials to authenticate.

Now enter the cache entries.

Click APC Version Check, to know your APC version.

To Upgrade using PECL

Execute following command to upgrade it. It will download and then upgrade APC.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# pecl upgrade apc

To Uninstall

Type the following command to uninstall APC completely from your machine.

[root@linuxhelp1 ~]# pecl uninstall apc