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PHP programming has been quite popular for a long time despite the large choice of languages. It’s among the most popular programming languages right next to JavaScript and Java. It’s great for creating websites and web applications, although its use is much wider. With regular updates and new features, PHP has many supporters. For many people it is the first choice when creating content management systems like WordPress. It’s widely used, so it’s time to think about what exactly it’s because of, what are its biggest advantages.
What is PHP and what is it used for today?
PHP is a scripting programming language, which initially was not supposed to play too big a role. Its primary task was to act as a counter of user visits on websites. With time, however, it was noticed its potential and became the basis for creating websites. As PHP was developing very dynamically, its usage was becoming wider and wider. It was a great complement to the existing tools like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Nowadays websites and applications can be entirely written in PHP or only use it to a lesser/more extent. PHP has become a widely used tool by programmers. It is used to create websites, e-shops, and information systems for individual customers. It allows you to create HTML code, generate files (XML, XLS, CSV), build CRM and API systems. It is used for various scripts, streaming applications, and social networks. In PHP you can even create console and desktop applications. PHP was used to create, for example: Facebook, Wikipedia, Flickr, WordPress, Tumblr, Yahoo!
What distinguishes PHP and is it worth choosing?
Some people are skeptical about PHP, while others praise it highly. As it’s one of the most popular programming languages, it’s worth getting interested in and learning it. It’s easy to learn, because of its syntax, clarity and well-structured structure. Learning it doesn’t cause any major problems and it doesn’t take much time. For a novice programmer PHP will be a great option, as well as for professional developers. This is due to the numerous features, including advanced ones for experienced professionals. Another issue is the ability to use multiple frameworks, and after all, no one likes to be limited when developing. As PHP is very popular, there is no shortage of portals gathering programmers and various sites where you can find solutions to various problems. This is very important for a person who is just starting his adventure with programming.
It should be immediately noted that PHP is an operative source solution. It is possible to publish created software in a fast, inexpensive way. Knowing the PHP language, you can count on finding a good paying job as a freelancer or corporate employee. PHP scripts are able to handle even the cheapest servers, so it will be a great option for new companies with a limited budget. When deciding to develop business applications, using PHP will be the best choice because of its affordability and support. Moreover, PHP is constantly being developed, improved on many levels. It is considered to be one of the safest programming languages. It has built-in protections against viruses, malware and a number of common internet threats. It is valued for its speed and efficiency. It can be integrated with other languages and database engines. It runs on every platform and web browser.
What is the future of PHP?
Currently, the PHP language heavily dominates the Internet and there is no indication that this is about to change. The continuous improvement of the language makes it more competitive. Its popularity in web technologies is the biggest as a server-side language. In second place, but still far behind, is ASP.NET. Specialists are working on its performance and adding new libraries to the directory, so it has a bright future. Without a doubt, PHP is worth learning, definitely most web applications use this very language for back-end development. Developers are striving to make PHP a functional language, keeping in mind the phenomenon of the cult language Java. More tools are created to support PHP. The latest version of PHP is characterized by a high level of security, speed, and high performance.