** PHP5 MVC framework for enterprise web applications **

ZNF is a framework for developing PHP5 web applications. It was originally based on the [[http://struts.apache.org|Apache Struts]] project of the Apache Software Foundation.

The project was started in late 2004 by [[http://www.alessandrorossini.org|Alessandro Rossini]] and [[http://www.liberati.org|Graziano Liberati]].

The core of the ZNF framework is a flexible control layer based on standard technologies like PHP5 and XML. ZNF encourages application architectures based on the [[pattern:Model 2]] approach, a variation of the classic [[pattern:Model View Controller]] design paradigm.

ZNF provides its own controller component and integrates with other technologies to provide the model and the view. For the model, ZNF can interact with standard data access technologies, like [[http://www.php.net/pdo|PDO]] and [[http://pear.php.net|PEAR::MDB2]]. For the view, ZNF works well with [[http://smarty.php.net|Smarty template engine]] and XSL Transformations.

ZNF is free software, distributed under the terms of the [[http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html|GNU Lesser General Public License]] v2.

** Features **
  * Customizable front controller
  * XML configurations to define handling of run-time events
  * Authorization
  * Input filtering and validation
  * Localization
  * Themes
  * Transparent caching engine
  * Remote components
  * Model integration with PDO and PEAR::MDB2
  * View integration with Smarty template engine and XSL Transformations
  * Capability to run in a E_STRICT environment
  * PEAR channel

** External links **
  * [[http://www.zeronotice.org/|ZNF Home Page]]