PHP Introduction

PHP Introduction

Firstly, you should have an introduction to PHP. It is an acronym that stands for Hypertext preprocessor. PHP is the server-side scripting language which means it loads on the server, and output is returned to the browser as HTML, unlike client-side scripting languages that load on the browser. PHP is used to create dynamic websites with the database.

Among the famous content management systems, WordPress has also been created using PHP. Another important use of PHP is to create web-based software apps. PHP is the best-suited language for web development. It is used by almost 78.9% of the total websites. PHP file can contain text, HTML, CSS, JAVASCRIPT and PHP code. PHP file has extension .PHP

After getting a proper introduction to PHP, let’s move to its history.

HISTORY

PHP was introduced to the IT world by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994. This was the set of Common Gateway Interface programs written by Rasmus to track the visits to his personal homepage. Further, he extended the programs to interface with databases and named it PHP/FI – Personal Home page/Forms Interpreter. PHP was not intentionally designed as a programming language, but it developed with time and emerged as a popular server-side scripting language.

WHY PHP?

EASY TO USE: First of all, PHP is easy to learn and use. You don’t have to include additional libraries as such in Java or C++. Even making changes to an existing website built using PHP is also an easy task. If you have basic programming knowledge and know about HTML, then PHP will not be tricky for you.

OPEN SOURCE: The development cost in PHP is meager because it is open-source software. If we compare PHP with .net, then .net is a paid software, and you have to buy a license to develop a software, but PHP is free to use.

OOP: PHP is an object-oriented programming language. You can use classes, objects, constructors and destructors, object inheritance, and scope resolution operator (::).

CROSS-PLATFORM COMPATIBLE: PHP is a cross-platform compatible language that means you can run it on any operating system, i.e., Windows, Linux, Mac OS.

SERVER FRIENDLY: PHP works with any server like Apache, IIS, etc.

DATABASES: PHP supports a various range of databases that involve MySQL, MS SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, and many more.

SECURITY: PHP has multiple secure layer systems in it, which makes your website safe and hackproof.

USES OF PHP IN WEB DEVELOPMENT:

  • We can create CMS (content management system) using PHP. Some famous CMS created using PHP include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla. Creating CMS will help clients to alter website appearance, content, and settings without knowing to program.
  • We can create E-commerce websites for Sale/Purchase businesses using PHP.
  • Mailing servers can be created using PHP.
  • We can create chatting systems.
  • We can make a file storage system with image/audio/video processing.
  • ERP (Enterprise resource planning) can be created using PHP.
  • We can create CRM Portals (Customer Relationship Management) with PHP.

WONDER WEBSITES USING PHP:

  • FACEBOOK:

A social media application.

  • YAHOO:

A popular search engine.

  • WIKIPEDIA:

A free, extensively available encyclopedia.

  • WORDPRESS:

Most powerful content management system running about 34% of the total websites.

  • CANVA:

Canva is a graphic design website used to create social media designs, posts, banners, thumbnails and offers many other templates.