Zend Framework Intro: Creating Index.php as Single Access File

Zend Framework Step By Step Tutorial - Part 3: As we know, at Zend Framework, index.php is a file that needed in the web root directory. This file is used for all page request. It is used for setting up the application's environtment, Zend framework's controller system, then running the application itself. This is Front Controller pattern.

Create a file named "index.php" within helloworld/web_root. Enter following code:

<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL|E_STRICT);
ini_set('display_errors', true);
date_default_timezone_set('Europe/London');

$rootDir = dirname(dirname(__FILE__));
set_include_path($rootDir . '/library' . PATH_SEPARATOR . get_include_path());

require_once 'Zend/Controller/Front.php';
Zend_Controller_Front::run('../application/controllers');

?>

Ok, let's look at this file in more detail. Line 2-4 is used for setup environtment. Line 3 to ensure that all errors or notices are displayed. Line 4 for setup default time zone.

include_path() specifies a list of directories where the require(), include() and fopen_with_path() functions look for files. You can set at php.ini. But, we don't have to do it. We can use set_include_path(). You can see at line 7.

This is the bootstrap file. Bootstrapping is the term used to describe starting the application up. The core of this code at line 9-10. This will instantiate and dispatch the front controller. It will route request to action controllers.