What is PHP?
PHP stands for “Hypertext Preprocessor”. It is a server-side scripting language used primarily for web development but also used as a general-purpose programming language. PHP is open-source, widely supported, and powers over 75% of all websites including giants like Facebook and WordPress.
Why Learn PHP?
PHP is popular because:
- ✅ It’s easy to learn and beginner-friendly.
- ✅ It’s free and open-source.
- ✅ It integrates easily with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and databases like MySQL.
- ✅ Supported on almost all web servers and platforms (Linux, Windows, etc.)
- ✅ It has huge community support and tons of ready-to-use frameworks like Laravel and CodeIgniter.
Key Features of PHP
- 🔁 Server-Side Execution – Code runs on the server, and the result is sent to the browser.
- 🧠 Simple Syntax – Similar to C, Java, and Perl, which makes it easy to pick up.
- 📡 Database Support – Works great with MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and others.
- 🔐 Security Features – Built-in tools to protect against threats like SQL injection and XSS.
- 🛠️ Flexible and Scalable – Used for small websites to large enterprise systems.
How PHP Works?
- User requests a PHP page in the browser.
- Web server sends the request to the PHP engine.
- PHP engine executes the script.
- Final HTML is sent back to the user’s browser.
Example:
<?php echo "Hello, PHP World!"; ?>
When executed, this will simply display:
Hello, PHP World!
Where is PHP Used?
PHP is used for:
- 📝 Building dynamic websites and web apps
- 📧 Creating contact forms, login systems, admin panels
- 🛒 E-commerce systems like Magento, WooCommerce
- 🔧 CMS like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal
Who Created PHP?
PHP was originally created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994. It started as a small set of CGI scripts to track website traffic but evolved into a full scripting language.
Popular Companies Using PHP
- 🌐 Facebook (initially built in PHP)
- 🛍️ Etsy
- 📰 Wikipedia
- 🗞️ Mailchimp
- 🖥️ WordPress
PHP vs Other Languages
| Feature | PHP | Python | JavaScript |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | Server-side | General use | Front & Back |
| Learning Curve | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Web Focused | Yes | Partially | Yes |
| Speed | Fast | Fast | Fast |
Is PHP Still Relevant in 2025?
Yes! Despite the rise of other languages, PHP is still
- 🚀 Fast
- 🧩 Reliable
- 💼 In-demand (especially in WordPress and backend jobs)
- 🧑💻 Continuously updated with new versions and features
Conclusion
PHP is a powerful, beginner-friendly scripting language that’s still relevant and widely used in today’s web development world. Whether you’re starting your coding journey or planning to build dynamic websites, PHP is a must-learn.
