PHP Basics

What is PHP?

• PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a server-side scripting language used for web development.
• It is an open-source language, which means it is free to use and distribute.
• PHP is executed on the server-side, and the resulting HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code is sent to the client's web browser.

History of PHP

• PHP was first released in 1995 by Rasmus Lerdorf.
• Initially, it was called "Personal Home Page Tools" and was used for tracking visitors to Lerdorf's online resume.
• In 1997, PHP 3.0 was released, which added support for web forms and databases.
• In 1999, PHP 4.0 was released, which added support for object-oriented programming.

Features of PHP

• Loose Typing: PHP is a dynamically-typed language, which means you don't need to declare variable types before using them.
• Server-Side Scripting: PHP code is executed on the server, and the resulting HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code is sent to the client's web browser.
• Open-Source: PHP is free to use, modify, and distribute.
• Cross-Platform: PHP can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.
• Large Community: PHP has a large and active community, which means there are many resources available for learning and troubleshooting.

Uses of PHP

• Web Development: PHP is commonly used for web development, especially for building dynamic websites and web applications.
• Content Management Systems: PHP is used in popular content management systems such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.
• E-commerce: PHP is used in popular e-commerce platforms such as Magento and OpenCart.
• Social Networking: PHP is used in popular social networking platforms such as Facebook.

PHP Syntax

• PHP code is enclosed in <?php and ?> tags.
• PHP statements are terminated with a semicolon (;).
• Variables are declared using the dollar sign ($) followed by the variable name.
• Variables can be assigned using the assignment operator (=).
• PHP has a wide range of built-in functions for tasks such as string manipulation, array manipulation, and database interaction.

PHP Versions

• PHP 5.x: Released in 2004, PHP 5.x added support for object-oriented programming and improved performance.
• PHP 7.x: Released in 2015, PHP 7.x added support for scalar type declarations, return type declarations, and improved performance.
• PHP 8.x: Released in 2020, PHP 8.x added support for just-in-time compilation, improved error handling, and improved performance.

What is PHP?

• PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor, a server-side scripting language used for web development.
• It is an open-source language, free to use and distribute.

History of PHP

• PHP was first released in 1995 by Rasmus Lerdorf.
• Initially called "Personal Home Page Tools", it was used for tracking visitors to Lerdorf's online resume.
• PHP 3.0 was released in 1997, adding support for web forms and databases.
• PHP 4.0 was released in 1999, adding support for object-oriented programming.

Features of PHP

• PHP is a dynamically-typed language, allowing for loose typing and no need to declare variable types before use.
• PHP code is executed on the server, with resulting HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code sent to the client's web browser.
• PHP is free to use, modify, and distribute due to its open-source nature.
• PHP can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems due to its cross-platform capability.
• PHP has a large and active community, providing many resources for learning and troubleshooting.

Uses of PHP

• PHP is commonly used for web development, particularly for building dynamic websites and web applications.
• PHP is used in popular content management systems such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.
• PHP is used in popular e-commerce platforms such as Magento and OpenCart.
• PHP is used in popular social networking platforms such as Facebook.

PHP Syntax

• PHP code is enclosed in `` tags.
• PHP statements are terminated with a semicolon (;).
• Variables are declared using the dollar sign ($) followed by the variable name.
• Variables can be assigned using the assignment operator (=).
• PHP has a wide range of built-in functions for tasks like string manipulation, array manipulation, and database interaction.

PHP Versions

• PHP 5.x, released in 2004, added support for object-oriented programming and improved performance.
• PHP 7.x, released in 2015, added support for scalar type declarations, return type declarations, and improved performance.
• PHP 8.x, released in 2020, added support for just-in-time compilation, improved error handling, and improved performance.