Zend

Zend is an open-source object oriented programming framework that builds off of PHP 5. It is often referred to as a “component library” because of a variety of components that can be used independently to some extent.  Each of these components are designed with few dependencies on the others, giving developers a flexible architecture to work with as they use the components they need.

At a glance, Zend is:

Modular: The Zend framework is modular, allowing developers to pick and choose the tools they want to work with rather than having to pair back a larger installation to get to what they need.

MVC Based: Zend is an MVC framework (Model View Controller). An MVC framework is a system by which users manipulate an application thorough a controller.

Open Source:  The framework has a flexible caching system and is Open Source – meaning that there are no cost or fees associated with utilizing it.

Extensible:  Zend’s capabilities can be expanded and extended to meet future requirements.

Cross Platform:  Zend is also cross platform, meaning that it is accessible on any currently available consumer computer platform.

Security: Zend has a number of tools available to assist developers in making the code they generate more secure (often through cryptography). Additionally, since Zend is open source, it can be heavily modified to add layers of security on top of the pre-existing tools that are available.

The popular open-source eCommerce Magento Framework is built off of Zend.