Zend Optimizer is both a free application that runs files encoded by Zend Guard as well as a performance enhancer of PHP applications.

MOST hosts come with Zend Optimizer pre-installed on their servers.

If you find that your host does NOT have Zend Optimizer (ie., when you install one of our Wordpress plugins you see lots of ODD characters and code on your site) then you'll want to ask your host to install it for you.

Most hosts who do not have Zend Optimizer pre-installed will gladly install it for you. They've probably done it 1000 times before and it's literally a 2-minute installation job if they know what they're doing.

But, if you're super unlucky and find yourself pitted against a host who refuses to perform this simple installation for you,  you'll need to know how to do it yourself.

To get Zend Optimizer working please go to http://www.zend.com and download (usually) the Zend Optimizer Linux x86 (32 Bit) package and extract the files to your computer. Within the extracted files locate the file /data/5_2_x_comp/ZendOptimizer.so and upload this to your site's root folder. 

After that file has uploaded you need to create a file in the root folder called php.ini. Edit this file with a text editor such as notepad and enter the following text:

zend_optimizer.optimization_level=15
zend_extension=/root/path/to/public_html/store/ZendOptimizer.so 

Note:  Please ensure the root server path (above) to the ZendOptimizer.so file is correct.