Backend
Zend and Laminas Done Right
We support teams running Zend Framework applications: maintaining them, extending them and migrating them to Laminas, the community-maintained successor.
Overview
Zend / Laminas
Zend Framework was a long-standing enterprise PHP framework. In 2019 the project moved to the Linux Foundation and was renamed Laminas, and the Zend Framework packages are no longer developed. Laminas keeps the same component-based, interface-driven design and continues with new releases, along with Mezzio for PSR-15 middleware applications. Staying on unsupported packages is the main risk we help clients remove.
Our Zend and Laminas work usually falls into three areas: keeping existing Zend Framework 2 or 3 applications running and secure, migrating them to Laminas using the official migration tooling, and building new services on Laminas or Mezzio. We pair every migration with tests and a PHP version upgrade plan so the result is supportable.
Context
Why teams choose it
- 01
Enterprise-grade design
Decoupled components, dependency injection and strong standards support suit large, long-lived applications.
- 02
Modular components
You can use individual packages such as forms, validators or the service manager on their own.
- 03
Active successor
Laminas continues development, giving Zend users a supported path forward.
- 04
PSR compliance
Standards-based interfaces make components interoperable with the wider PHP ecosystem.
Capabilities
What we build with it
- 01
Zend to Laminas migration
Package renames, namespace updates and compatibility fixes using the official migration tooling.
- 02
Laminas MVC applications
Modular web applications with service manager, event manager and form handling.
- 03
Mezzio middleware apps
PSR-15 APIs and applications for teams that prefer a middleware approach.
- 04
Legacy maintenance
Security patches and PHP version compatibility for existing Zend Framework systems.
- 05
Component integration
Using Laminas packages inside other PHP projects.
- 06
Refactoring and tests
Adding test coverage and cleaning module structure in complex codebases.
Typical projects
- Migrating Zend Framework 2 or 3 apps
- Large enterprise portals
- PSR-15 API services
- Maintaining legacy business systems
- Embedding Laminas components elsewhere
Ecosystem & tooling
- Laminas
- Mezzio
- Laminas Service Manager
- Doctrine ORM
- Composer
- PHPUnit
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
Approach
How we work with it
- 1
Assess
We review your goals and any existing code to decide where this technology fits best.
- 2
Architect
We plan structure, integrations, data flow and hosting before writing production code.
- 3
Build
Features ship in small, reviewed increments with automated checks along the way.
- 4
Release & maintain
We deploy, monitor and keep dependencies and versions up to date.
FAQs
Common questions
Have a question that is not covered here? Get in touch.
Is Zend Framework still supported?
Not in the original form. The project became Laminas in 2019 and Zend Framework packages are no longer developed. We recommend migrating to Laminas to keep receiving fixes and updates.
How hard is migrating from Zend to Laminas?
For applications on Zend Framework 3 or later 2.x releases, the migration is mostly package and namespace changes, which tooling automates. Customized code and old dependencies take more effort, and we test throughout.
What is Mezzio?
Mezzio is the Laminas middleware microframework, formerly Zend Expressive. It builds applications from PSR-7 and PSR-15 components and suits APIs and lean services.
Should we stay on Laminas or move to another framework?
If your application is stable and your team knows it, migrating to Laminas is typically the least disruptive route. A move to Symfony or Laravel is worth considering mainly for new development.
Let's build what's next
Tell us about your idea, product or legacy system. Send us a message and we will help you scope the right next step.