What is PHP?

When you first step into web development, one name seems to pop up everywhere: PHP. The PHP programming language has built the base for millions of websites and applications. But what exactly makes it so widely used and Why is it still a trusted tool for developers after many years?

In the following sections, you will find answers to all your questions—and no, PHP is not dead!

What Does PHP Mean?

PHP is a server-side scripting language, meaning it runs on a web server and generates dynamic content for websites. PHP is written in C++, a powerful programming language, and allows you to build anything from simple web forms to complex web applications.

The term "PHP" originally stood for—"Personal Home Page," reflecting its early purpose of creating basic websites. However, as its functionality expanded, the acronym evolved into "Hypertext Preprocessor."

While PHP is most famous for web development which is a scripting language, it can also be used as a general-purpose programming language. It’s embedded within HTML, allowing developers to create interactive and dynamic web pages easily.

So if you are building a personal blog, an e-commerce platform, or a complex content management system, PHP has the tools and frameworks to help you succeed.

Today, more than 50 million websites use PHP, including big names like Facebook and WordPress. So it is not dying!

Before trying out the following examples, ensure PHP is installed on your operating system. To check, open your terminal or command prompt and type php -v. If PHP is not installed, do not worry—you can easily set it up just by following this tutorial.

Let's move on to the section below, to take a look at how it works.

How PHP Works Under the Hood

When you write and run PHP code, the server gets to work reading it line by line. It figures out what your code wants to do, processes it, and then turns it into plain HTML that the browser can understand.

The browser never sees your PHP code—it only sees the result, like text, images, or anything else you want to show on the page.

So consider you are running this simple piece of PHP code that says—"Welcome to FlatCoding Tutorials!".

<?php
  echo "Welcome to FlatCoding Tutorials!";
?>

This code is saved in a .php file on your server.

When you access this file in a browser, the server processes the PHP script. It reads the instructions in your code and converts it into plain HTML.

But did you think about what happens behind the scenes?

PHP uses a component called the Zend Engine as its interpreter. It is responsible for interpreting your PHP code and converting it into instructions that the server can execute.

However, the browser does not directly understand PHP code; instead, the server processes the PHP code and sends the resulting output (typically HTML, CSS, or JavaScript) to the browser.

Let's move on to the section below to understand why PHP is the right choice for you.

Why Choose PHP for Web Development

PHP has been the go-to option for developers for decades, powering everything from small personal projects to massive websites like Facebook and Wikipedia. But what makes PHP so special?

Here are some reasons:

There are many popular frameworks and platforms built on PHP, such as WordPress, Laravel, and Symfony. Developers often choose PHP because these frameworks are specifically designed to streamline the development process and provide powerful tools for building robust applications. Many companies also prefer developers who are skilled in using Laravel or WordPress, as these technologies are trusted and widely adopted in the industry for their reliability. So don't worry! PHP will not die but it is growing.

In the following section, you will find a brief comparison between PHP and other popular programming languages to help you understand its strengths and unique features.

PHP vs. Other Programming Languages

PHP, with its long history and massive ecosystem, stands out as a reliable option. But how does it stack up against other languages like Python, JavaScript, or Ruby? Each language has its strengths, but PHP continues to hold its ground, especially for server-side scripting and dynamic websites.

As you can see, PHP excels in areas like hosting compatibility and frameworks specifically for web development. While other languages might dominate in niche areas like AI (Python) or frontend interactivity (JavaScript), PHP remains a top choice for building dynamic websites.

Let's move on to the below section to understand how to start coding with PHP.

How to Use PHP as a Programming Language?

Using PHP might sound intimidating at first, but it is surprisingly simple once you get started. PHP is all about making your web pages dynamic and interactive, so if you have ever wanted to move beyond plain HTML, you can do it. It works on the server side, meaning all the tasks happen before your page even reaches the browser.

To use PHP, the first step is to make sure you have it installed. You can grab it from the official PHP website or install a bundle like XAMPP or WAMP, which includes PHP, a server, and a database—all the essentials. Once you are set up, create a file with a .php extension. Inside, you can mix PHP with HTML or write pure PHP code. For example:

<?php echo "Welcome to PHP!"; ?>

Save this file, load it in your browser through your local server (e.g., http://localhost/yourfile.php), and voila—you just ran your first PHP script. You can use it to handle forms, connect to databases, or even build a complete web application.

Let's summarize it.

Wrapping Up

PHP has been the most commonly used language of web development for decades, and there is a reason it remains a go-to language for building dynamic websites and applications.

PHP is a scripting language, but it also serves as a general-purpose programming language.

As a server-side scripting language, PHP handles everything behind the scenes, turning your code into the HTML that browsers understand.

It started as a tool for basic websites but quickly evolved into a powerhouse that powers platforms like WordPress, Laravel, and even giants like Facebook.

Its ability to work with HTML, databases, and various frameworks makes it an important tool for developers looking to build everything from personal blogs to enterprise-level systems.