Re: Uploading extensions to PECL

> > Yes. It doesn't explicitly disallow wrappers for LGPLv2 libraries (or LGPL > extensions for that matter), and doesn't explain why it's discouraged. > Someone else on the list may be able to give a better reason for this, and I think there might be some historical context involved. Disclaimer: IANAL... In general, your extension links against LGPL code. When your extension is installed and PHP is configured to load your extension, it can be said to be linking against your extension and, through your extension, also against the LGPL library. This gets into weird ambiguities about what constitutes linking and whether users are allowed to do these things in a legal way, according to the licenses, and while the LGPL was created to allow these libraries to be used in proprietary code, it has a lot of requirements placed on the use of their code. These requirements are intended to protect users of the library, but they often hinder what developers can do. PHP has a bit of an odd history with the GPL, and as a result, PHP chose to go the route of using more permissive licenses (Apache, MIT, BSD, etc.), and that's primarily why we encourage the use of these looser licenses for anything that will be distributed through pecl.php.net (and other PHP properties). There's nothing to restrict you from using LGPLv3 and GPL libraries in extensions, though. They just can't be distributed through pecl.php.net. -Ben