ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FEATURES ABOUT PHP streams is their ability to access a multitude of data sourcesplainfile, compressed file, clear-channel network, encrypted network, named pipes, and domain sockets to name a fewfrom a single, unified API at both the userspace and internals layers.
The PHP Life Cycle
Variables from the Inside Out
Memory Management
Setting Up a Build Environment
Your First Extension
Returning Values
Accepting Parameters
Working with Arrays and HashTables
The Resource Data Type
PHP4 Objects
PHP5 Objects
Startup, Shutdown, and a Few Points in Between
INI Settings
Accessing Streams
Implementing Streams
Diverting the Stream
Configuration and Linking
Extension Generators
Setting Up a Host Environment
Advanced Embedding
Appendix A. A Zend API Reference
Appendix B. PHPAPI
Appendix C. Extending and Embedding Cookbook
Appendix D. Additional Resources