The term PHP is an acronym for – Hypertext Preprocessor. PHP is a server-side scripting language designed specifically for web development. It is open-source which means it is free to download and use. It is very simple to learn and use. The file extension of PHP is “.php”.
PHP was introduced by Rasmus Lerdorf in the first version and participated in the later versions. It is an interpreted language and it does not require a compiler.
Characteristics of PHP
- PHP code is executed in the server.
- It can be integrated with many databases such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Sybase, and Informix.
- It is powerful to hold a content management system like WordPress and can be used to control user access.
- It supports main protocols like HTTP Basic, HTTP Digest, IMAP, FTP, and others.
- Websites like www.facebook.com and www.yahoo.com are also built on PHP.
- One of the main reasons behind this is that PHP can be easily embedded in HTML files and HTML codes can also be written in a PHP file.
- The thing that differentiates PHP from the client-side language like HTML is, that PHP codes are executed on the server whereas HTML codes are directly rendered on the browser. PHP codes are first executed on the server and then the result is returned to the browser.
- The only information that the client or browser knows is the result returned after executing the PHP script on the server and not the actual PHP codes present in the PHP file. Also, PHP files can support other client-side scripting languages like CSS and JavaScript.
Origin and History
- PHP was created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994 and initially stood for “Personal Home Page.” Over the years, it evolved into “PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.”
- PHP is open-source and has a large community of developers contributing to its development.
Purpose of using PHP
- PHP is primarily used for server-side web development. It enables the creation of dynamic web pages by embedding PHP code within HTML.
- PHP can perform various tasks, including handling form data, generating dynamic page content, managing databases, and interacting with servers.
Syntax
<?php
PHP code goes here
?>
Example:
<html>
<head>
<title>PHP Hello World</title>
</head>
<body>
<?php echo "Hello, World! This is PHP code";?>
</body>
</html>
|
Output:
Hello, World! This is PHP code
Features of PHP
- Dynamic Typing: PHP is dynamically typed, meaning you don’t need to declare the data type of a variable explicitly.
- Cross-Platform: PHP runs on various platforms, making it compatible with different operating systems.
- Database Integration: PHP provides built-in support for interacting with databases, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and others.
- Server-Side Scripting: PHP scripts are executed on the server, generating HTML that is sent to the client’s browser.
Why should we use PHP?
PHP can actually do anything related to server-side scripting or more popularly known as the backend of a website. For example, PHP can receive data from forms, generate dynamic page content, can work with databases, create sessions, send and receive cookies, send emails, etc. There are also many hash functions available in PHP to encrypt users’ data which makes PHP secure and reliable to be used as a server-side scripting language. So these are some of PHP’s abilities that make it suitable to be used as a server-side scripting language. You will get to know more of these abilities in further tutorials.
Even if the above abilities do not convince you of PHP, there are some more features of PHP. PHP can run on all major operating systems like Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, etc. Almost all of the major servers available today like Apache supports PHP. PHP allows using a wide range of databases. And the most important factor is that it is free to use and download and anyone can download PHP from its official source: www.php.net.
Please refer to setting up the development environment to setup and run PHP programs.
What’s new in PHP 7.0?
- PHP 7 is faster than the previous versions.
- PHP 7 supports new operators.
- PHP 7 supports better Error Handling functionalities.
- PHP 7 supports stricter declarations for types in function parameters.
Advantages of PHP
- Open Source: PHP is an open-source language, making it freely available for use and distribution. This encourages a large community of developers, contributing to its growth and improvement.
- Easy to Learn: PHP syntax is similar to C and other programming languages, making it relatively easy for developers to learn, especially for those with a background in programming.
- Web Integration: PHP is designed specifically for web development and is embedded within HTML. It seamlessly integrates with various web technologies, facilitating the creation of dynamic and interactive web pages.
- Database Support: PHP has excellent support for various databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and more. This makes it easy to connect and interact with databases, a crucial aspect of many web applications.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: PHP is platform-independent and runs on various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, and others. This ensures compatibility across different environments.
- Large Community and Documentation: PHP has a vast and active community of developers. The abundance of online resources, tutorials, and documentation makes it easier for developers to find solutions and seek help when needed.
- Frameworks and CMS: There are popular PHP frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, and CodeIgniter, which provide pre-built modules and features, aiding in rapid development. Additionally, PHP supports widely used content management systems (CMS) like WordPress and Joomla.
- Server-Side Scripting: PHP scripts are executed on the server, reducing the load on the client’s side. This server-side scripting capability is crucial for generating dynamic content and performing server-related tasks.
- Community Support: The PHP community actively contributes to the language’s development, ensuring regular updates, security patches, and improvements.
Disadvantages of PHP
- Inconsistency: PHP has been criticized for inconsistencies in function names and parameter orders. This can lead to confusion for developers, especially when working with a mix of older and newer functions.
- Security Concerns: If not handled properly, PHP code may be susceptible to security vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). Developers need to be cautious and follow best practices to secure PHP applications.
- Performance: While PHP performs well for many web applications, it may not be as fast as some compiled languages like C or Java. However, advancements and optimizations in recent versions have improved performance.
- Lack of Modern Features: Compared to newer languages, PHP may lack some modern language features. However, recent versions of PHP have introduced improvements and features to address this concern.
- Scalability Challenges: PHP can face challenges when it comes to scaling large and complex applications. Developers may need to adopt additional tools or frameworks to address scalability issues.
- Not Suitable for Large-Scale Applications: While PHP is suitable for small to medium-sized projects, it might not be the best choice for extremely large and complex applications where more structured languages might be preferred.
- Limited Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Support: Although PHP supports OOP, its implementation has been criticized for not being as robust as in some other languages. However, recent versions have introduced improvements to enhance OOP capabilities.