Everything you need to know about PHP

Are you a programmer? If yes, you must have heard about PHP language and even tried using it. Even if you have just begun to learn programming languages, you’ll surely get to work on PHP. 

According to Statista, roughly 21.9 % of all developers across the globe use PHP because of its popularity, easy integration, and community support. 

The use of PHP has significantly increased in recent years, and it remains one of the most sought-after skills in web development.

If everyone is using PHP this much, then why not learn more about it? So, in this blog, you’ll get to know everything that you need to know about PHP. 

 

What is PHP?

PHP is one of the most commonly used programming languages that was initially developed in 1994 by Rasmus Lerdorf as a set of Common Gateway Interface (CGI) binaries to help him maintain his homepage at home. 

PHP is a server-side scripting language used to make web pages dynamic. It’s one of the most popular programming languages in the world, and it powers about 79.4% of all websites.

 

The best part about PHP is that it is free and open-source software that you can use on any platform and anyone who knows how to program can modify it. 

PHP originally stood for “personal home page”; this name reflected its beginnings as a set of tools written in the early 1990s to allow publication of personal home pages on the Web. The acronym was later expanded to “PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor” to reflect its growing functionality.

Currently, there are a total of 17 versions of PHP with the first version, PHP 1.0, releasing in 1995 and the latest version, PHP 8.0, releasing in November 2020.

What is the use of PHP?

Just knowing what PHP is will not be enough, you need to understand its benefits and applications of it as well. PHP can be used in various applications, including websites and web services, business software, and embedded systems. Apart from that here are some other uses of PHP that will interest you. 

 

1. Website’s cybersecurity

Utilizing PHP, a fantastic programming language enables you to incorporate cybersecurity into your website. Cybersecurity concerns have increased as the internet has developed, particularly among computer professionals. 

You may add cybersecurity to the website by hiring PHP programmers. Using PHP and cybersecurity solutions can help you stop regular cyberattacks.

 

2. Writing Script code

You can no longer rely on third-party email features while using PHP. The delivery of notifications to your clients is made simple using PHP. Important messages concerning goods and services are contained in these notifications.

 

3. Cloud and website integration

The cloud is the next significant advancement in the IT sector. It has aided in simplifying the workflow. Despite the many benefits, professional advantages are the main reason most businesses use cloud technology. PHP provides a fantastic tool for integrating cloud technology into your website.

 

4. Image processing

Users of the programming language can export photos in a variety of formats. PHP’s GD package makes it simple to handle and create images. In essence, the Graphics Draw (GD) library is a function that enables users to export images in the formats they choose. Multiple files can be managed, formatted, and cropped with ease.

 

5. Content management system (CMS)

The fundamental components of any organized business are data and content. The requirement for all enterprises is a content management system (CMS). 

Solutions like WordPress, which was created using PHP, simplify updating and adding content. In just a few clicks, the majority of tasks may be completed.

 

Why is PHP used for web development?

Enough of the general use of PHP, now let’s talk about why PHP is so commonly used for Web Development. Here are some reasons: 

 

1. PHP is open source and free

 

Being open source means using it for free, modifying it, and distributing it. This makes PHP very popular because you don’t have to pay licensing fees or royalties. It also means that PHP has an active community of developers who provide support and documentation on their websites.

There are many open-source PHP CMS platforms that you can use to create a website. Some of the most popular ones include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, etc. 

 

2. Easy to Learn

PHP is easy to learn and use, making it perfect for beginners who want to start coding quickly. The syntax is similar to C and C++, so those with experience with these languages will find it even easier to learn PHP.

 

3. Compatibility with servers and devices

PHP is compatible with almost all web servers and devices. It runs on Windows, Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X operating systems. Additionally, PHP is compatible with all the popular web servers, making deployment on various platforms and systems easy and affordable.

 

4. Performance and speed’

 

PHP is extremely fast and easy to deploy – most simple applications can be built within minutes because there’s no compilation process involved as there would be with other languages such as Java or C++.

As you can see above, PHP can handle 2597 requests per second, which is more than its counterparts. 

Peter Lavin, a tech blogger, stated – “PHP as an object oriented programming language should be judged by how well it does the job, not on a preconceived notion of what a scripting language should or shouldn’t do.”

 

5. Connectivity with databases

 

PHP is a web-based language, which means that it’s designed to interact with databases. The language has built-in functions for connecting databases, working with data, and sending information back and forth. This makes it easy for coders to create database-driven websites or even applications.

PHP works on many database systems like MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Firebird, etc., which gives developers more options for their applications.

 

6. Tried and tested

PHP has been around for over 20 years. It has been used on millions of websites since its first release in 1995. The language’s popularity has led to a huge community of programmers constantly developing new plugins and tools for PHP developers.

There’s plenty of documentation available for PHP. This means you can find answers to your questions more quickly than in other languages because there’s already been much written about them.

 

7. Strong community

PHP has a strong community of users and developers, constantly improving its capabilities. Thousands of tutorials, books, blogs, and other resources are available online to help you get started with PHP or advance your skillset.

 

Top websites built using PHP

 

Below are some examples of good websites that show the extensive use of PHP by developers and programmers in web development.  

1. WordPress 

WordPress is one of the Web’s most popular content management systems (CMS). It allows users to create blogs, manage them easily, and attract visitors through search engine optimization (SEO). It was initially written in PHP.

 

2. Facebook

Facebook, the largest social networking site in the world with over 2 billion active members, was mainly constructed using PHP due to the language’s scalability. Right away, Zuckerberg and Moskowitz wrote all of the PHP code for the Facebook app. 

In 2010, Facebook developed HipHop for PHP (HPHPc), a source code converter. HipHop converts PHP into the C++ programming language before being further compiled into binary for execution.

 

3. Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia with over 55 million articles in 309 languages, making it one of the largest websites in the world. It’s built on MediaWiki software. It is a PHP-based content management system (CMS). Wikipedia switched to HHVM in 2014 to improve performance by translating PHP into different languages.

 

4. Slack 

Slack helps teams communicate effectively through messaging, archiving, and searching. It is a platform that facilitates communication between team members and can be used in the workplace or for personal use.

Slack was introduced in 2014, with PHP 5 as the backend technology. The business switched to HHVM later in 2016, along with many other businesses. This action enabled them to run their PHP code rather quickly.

 

5. MailChimp

MailChimp is a tool to help you design, send, and track email newsletters. The platform allows users to create and send newsletters to their subscribers via email.

According to MailChimp, PHP is the main language they use for development and the only language they use for anything involving the live MailChimp program.

 

6. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an eCommerce solution that enables businesses to sell products online through their website or mobile app. It takes care of all aspects of online selling, including payment processing, marketing, inventory management, accounting, and more.

BigCommerce is one of the websites made with PHP and operates on a Software-as-a-Service(SaaS) model. PHP serves as the main language on the BigCommerce website.

 

Top PHP development tools to know 

Now you are aware of a few good websites within which PHP language is used. You might also want to use PHP but before that, you need to know good PHP tools that you can use to accomplish the purpose. 

Without a good knowledge of tools, you can’t make effective use of the PHP language. So, here are a few top PHP development tool suggestions for you. 

 

1. PHPstorm

PHPStorm is a popular PHP development tool because of its lightweight, blazing-fast, and fluid nature. This PHP IDE functions well with well-known CMS like Drupal, Magento, and WordPress and PHP frameworks like Zend Framework, Symfony, Yii, Laravel, and CakePHP. 

Major frontend technologies, like CSS, HTML5, JavaScript, etc., are supported for live editing using this IDE, along with code refactoring, unit testing, and debugging. The ability to interact with databases, version control systems, remote deployment, composer, command-line tools, rest clients, and many more tools is also provided to developers.

 

2. phpED

NuSphere’s PhpED is an advanced PHP editor; a PHP debugger, a database client, and code insight are all included in this PHP IDE. The tools and adjustments that this application offers developers will streamline the entire web development process. PhpEd accelerates the creation of applications using the PHP accelerator known as PhpExpress. 

This IDE is the best choice for creating intricate websites and web applications. It provides extensive PHP 7.1 support while supporting JavaScript, HTML, and CSS3. Its refactoring features give developers the ability to enhance their code. Working with the most well-known PHP frameworks, including Laravel, Zend, and Yii, is possible with PhpED.

 

3. Sublime Text

Sublime Text is one of the top text editors. Although it isn’t a complete IDE, you may turn it into a useful editor for creating PHP apps by installing specific plugins or packages. This cross-platform source code editor natively supports many programming and markup languages. 

Sublime Text has feature-rich functionalities and exceptional designs. With its industry-leading customized text editor and unique UI toolkit, you may navigate between symbols, words, or lines using relevant key shortcuts. You can also change any line of code you want.

 

4. PHPDebugbar

A PHP debugger called PHPDebugbar can be used with any project and displays data from various online applications. There are two components to this PHP development tool: the render and the mainDebugBar object and data collectors. A built-in set of collectors is pre-configured in a StandardDebugBar.

You can find issues in JavaScript and HTML in addition to PHP. PHPDebugbar can inspect CSS elements, keep track of your network, and examine your JavaScript code. It is developing into an outstanding open source solution by providing more functionality than developers demand. The greatest solution for profiling data from any web app, maybe this one. You may easily construct your gather or for simple integration.

 

Hire the best PHP developers for your next project

Hiring experienced PHP developers with a proven track record in development is one of the best decisions you can make while building your business or taking it to the next level. 

If you need PHP developers for your next project, it makes sense to partner with a web development agency that can help you find the right talent for your new line of development. 

HIP delivers on this promise, giving you access to vetted developers looking to work on your next project. The result? You get the best possible talent delivered directly to you while avoiding the pitfalls of working through multiple intermediaries. 

HIP provides dedicated developers on a fixed cost or hourly basis. All the developers are in-house to ensure businesses get the highest quality work. 

 

FAQs

1. What type of language is PHP?

PHP is a server-side scripting language that’s embedded into HTML pages. This means that PHP code runs on a web server, not the user’s computer.

2. Is PHP easy for beginners?

PHP is not the most beginner-friendly language, but it’s still very popular. This is partly because of the flexibility you get with PHP and partly because it’s a much simpler language than other server-side options. 

3. Is PHP frontend or backend?

PHP is used in the backend. The backend refers to server-side code, which runs on the web hosting provider’s servers and responds to requests from browsers. 

4. Is PHP a scripting language?

1. PHP is an open-source server-side scripting language many developers use for web development. It is also a general-purpose language that you can use to create many different kinds of projects, including Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).

 

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