In the world of web development, PHP is one of the most popular – if not THE most popular – scripting language used to create dynamic websites; that’s why it’s a good idea to know a little something about PHP programming, even if you aren’t a techie or you’re not planning on creating your own website.
What PHP Is
PHP is not only a popular scripting language, it’s also an open-source and general-purpose scripting language that is easy to use for everyone from beginning programmers to experienced, professional programmers. A scripting language, like PHP, is a programming language that can be used to provide a programmatic interface with a running program. In other words, it allows program users to “script” actions for the program to take and define when and if those actions will occur.
The Advantages Of PHP
- PHP is free. This is what is meant by “open source.”
- PHP is fast. Because PHP is embedded in the HTML code of a website, the time to process and load web pages is short.
- PHP is easy to use. PHP syntax is simple, easy to use and to understand.
- PHP is versatile. PHP can run on a number of operating systems, including Windows, MAC OS and Linux.
- PHP technical support is everywhere. Because of its popularity, there are many message boards and email discussion lists ready to offer almost instantaneous technical support for PHP.
- PHP is customizable. Users can customize PHP software by adding and features to fit their unique needs.
How PHP Affects Websites
In the beginning, websites were simply vessels for presenting static information to computer users. Over time, developers and website owners realized that allowing their users to interact with their websites was a better way to engage them and a better way to increase site visitations and, subsequently, profits. PHP programming (along with other programming languages) was the result of this desire to make websites more dynamic. Some of the many features that PHP has that affect the way websites work are:
- Interaction with HTML forms. PHP displays the HTML form and then processes the information that the website user inserts into the form.
- Communication with databases. PHP works with databases to store user information or to retrieve information that is then displayed to the website user.
- Generation of secure web pages. PHP is a way for developers to create web pages that can only be accessed with a username and password.
If you own a business and you want a user-friendly, dynamic website that will look good and work efficiently, call us at CedarWaters at (469) 535-7500. We can help you to understand how PHP programming can make your website great. Visit us online at axissoftwaredynamics.com to find out more about our services, which also include custom software and custom mobile application development.
