How to protect the source code?

Question

PHP

Tell me, I ran into such a problem, I want to write a plugin, but I don’t want those who didn’t pay for it to use it. I looked in the direction of obfuscation, everywhere it says that any obfuscator has a deobfuscator, even the same ioncube is decrypted by the Indians for $15. A good option is to create a key on your server and check it in the plugin. But there is a but , anyone who understands at least a little in php will get into the source code and remove the if-key check condition, so the solution is also not very good.

What are the options?

Answer 1

using the API:
- you write the main handler on your server
- you upload the code to the plugin that will send the necessary information to your server and receive a response
- in the header you pass information for authorization, by which you will check whether it is paid or not
, so your code remains only you, and the plugin is the connection between your code and the client data that needs to be processed.

Answer 2

My God, another protector again.
There is no main plugin yet, not a single buyer, he doesn’t really know the language - but already suffering about lost profits.
The options are:
1. Be a little more modest. And realize that no one needs your g-code, neither for money, nor for free.
2. Be a little more adequate. And first write the code, then find buyers and only then think about protection.
3. Grow up with yourself and turn in a few years into a person who can really write something valuable.
4. after that, already have an idea about the services working through the API and not have a problem implementing one yourself without asking stupid questions on the toaster

Answer 3

Protecting the code is quite simple, you just need to confuse it just enough so that the decryption is not profitable and does not make sense - it will be cheaper to buy than to unravel. The more shitty code you write, the better.