What is PHP?
PHP is an open-source general purpose scripting language, widely used for website development. It is developed by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994. PHP is a a recursive acronym for ‘PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor’.
PHP is the world’s most popular server-side programming language. Its latest version PHP 8.4.3, released on January 16th, 2025.
PHP is a server-side scripting language that is embedded in HTML. PHP is a cross-platform language, capable of running on all major operating system platforms and with most of the web server programs such as Apache, IIS, lighttpd and nginx.
A large number of reusable classes and libraries are available on PEAR and Composer. PEAR (PHP Extension and Application Repository) is a distribution system for reusable PHP libraries or classes. Composer is a dependency management tool in PHP.
Why Learn PHP?
PHP one of the most preferred languages for creating interactive websites and web applications. PHP scripts can be easily embedded into HTML. With PHP, you can build
- Web Pages and Web-Based Applications
- Content Management Systems, and
- E-commerce Applications etc.
A number of PHP based web frameworks have been developed to speed-up the web application development. The examples are WordPress, Laravel, Symfony etc.
PHP Characteristics
Below are the main characteristics which make PHP a very good choice for web development −
- PHP is Easy to Learn
- Open-Source & Free
- Cross-Platform Compatibility
- Server-Side Scripting
- Embedded in HTML
- Database Connectivity
- Object-Oriented & Procedural Support
- Large Standard Library
- Supports Various Protocols
- Framework Support
Advantages of Using PHP
PHP is a MUST for students and working professionals to become great Software Engineers, especially when they are working in Web Development Domain.
Some of the most notable advantages of using PHP are listed below −
- PHP is a multi-paradigm language that supports imperative, functional, object-oriented, and procedural programming methodologies.
- PHP is a server-side scripting language that is embedded in HTML. It is used to manage dynamic content, databases, session tracking, even build entire e-commerce sites.
- PHP is integrated with a number of popular databases including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and Microsoft SQL Server.
- PHP is pleasingly zippy in its execution, especially when compiled as an Apache module on the Unix side. The MySQL server, once started, executes even very complex queries with huge result sets in record-setting time.
- PHP supports a number of protocols such as POP3, IMAP, and LDAP. PHP supports distributed object architectures (COM and CORBA), which makes n-tier development possible.
- PHP is forgiving: PHP language tries to be as forgiving as possible.
- PHP has a familiar C-like syntax.
There are five important characteristics of PHP that make its practical nature possible: Simplicity, Efficiency, Security, Flexibility, and Familiarity.
Popular PHP Frameworks
Here are some of the most popular PHP frameworks −
- Laravel: Used for building big and secure web applications.
- CodeIgniter: Very fast and lightweight framework. Good for small projects.
- Symfony: Used for large and complex applications.
- CakePHP: Good for making fast and secure websites.
- FuelPHP: Secure and flexible framework for web development.
- YII: Best for developing modern Web Applications.
- Phalcon: It is a PHP full-stack framework.
- Pixie: Full-stack PHP framework and follows HMVC architecture.
- Slim: Lightweight micro-framework used for creating RESTful APIs and services.
Hello World Using PHP
Just to give you a little excitement about PHP, I’m going to give you a small conventional PHP Hello World program. You can try it using the Edit & Run button.
<?php echo "Hello, World!"; ?>
Online PHP Compiler
Our PHP tutorial provides various examples to explain different concepts. We have provided an online compiler, where you can write, save, run, and share your programs directly from your browser without setting up any development environment. Practice PHP here: Online PHP compiler.
Audience
This PHP tutorial is designed for programmers who are completely unaware of PHP concepts but have a basic understanding on computer programming.
Prerequisites
Before proceeding with this tutorial, all that you need to have is a basic understanding of computer programming. Knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and databases will be an added advantage.
Download PHP
You can download PHP’s latest version from its official websites. Here is the link to open the PHP download page:PHP Downloads & Installation
Frequently Asked Questions about PHP
There are some very Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) about PHP, this section tries to answer them briefly.Do I Need Prior Programming Experience to Learn PHP?
Is PHP Free to Use?
What are the Applications of PHP?
How Do I Install PHP?
What Tools and Technologies Work Well with PHP?
Can PHP Be Used for Both Frontend and Backend Development?
Are There Security Concerns with PHP?
What Are the Latest Features and Updates in PHP?
How Long Will it Take to Master PHP?
What Resources Do I Need to Learn PHP?
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