PHP is an acronym that stands for Hypertext preprocessor. The language is widely used as an open-source scripting language and is executed on the server.
Developers looking to begin their web development journey should consider PHP as their preferred server-side language. It has one of the largest development communities, with well-detailed documentation and libraries that help you develop applications fast and efficiently.
Why PHP is the best language for web developers
Having freedom as a developer is among the most important part of being effective at what you do. PHP is able to offer developers the freedom to choose between using procedural programming or object-oriented programming. Users can also opt to combine both procedural and object-oriented programming while coding in the same program.
PHP is also a cross-platform language that can be run in almost every operating system, including the main ones such as Windows, Linux, Unix and Mac OS. It is also compatible with almost all servers, including Apache and IIS, making it easy to deploy your applications online to any hosting service provider quickly.
The platform also supports almost all databases, including MYSQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle and Sybase databases. This allows you the freedom to choose any database that you are comfortable with, with confidence that it will work smoothly with your platform. It also means that you will not have any problems when deploying your application to hosting platforms.
Not only does PHP support almost all databases, but it also comes with an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows you to connect to any type of database automatically. This is done using an ODBC connection, which allows you to connect to any type of database as long as an ODBC connection is available, eliminating the need to code database-specific programming.
The language is also one of the easiest to learn and find a market for your skills. Currently, over 78 percent of all websites have been developed using PHP. Job boards are filled with advertisements of employers asking for PHP developers. Therefore, for developers looking to start a career in web development, PHP should be among the top languages they should choose for their web development career journey.
What can you do with PHP?
Usage of PHP language varies depending on the needs of a programmer. However, there are some general use scenarios that are very common and that most web developers use time and time again while developing applications. These tasks include:_
Developing dynamic pages: The ability to create content that fetches information from databases or APIs and displays them depending on queries given is one of the most important features of a website. The pages generated are called dynamic pages and change depending on the instructions provided.
Using PHP, developers are able to create dynamic pages based on pre-programmed queries. You can also run CRUD(create, read, update and delete) data from the database using PHP, making it easy to manipulate databases and create multiple dynamic pages.
Collecting form data: PHP is able to collect data entered by users in forms and process it. This data can then be stored in databases in raw form, waiting to be processed further.
Other functionalities that can be implemented with PHP include sending and receiving cookies, creating user control to give users different roles and privileges and it can also be used to encrypt data to make your web application safe.
PHP Frameworks
PHP developers are also able to enjoy PHP frameworks, which are specially designed softwares that integrates commonly used functions to help in faster and safer web development. These frameworks provide a foundation for developers on which to build their applications.
By using PHP frameworks, developers are able to simplify their web application maintenance by supporting the model-view-controller architecture that is much easier to understand and program. This also makes your development much faster, and one is able to create complex applications using tools already available in these frameworks, such as code snippets and libraries with ease.
Management of database is also more efficient when using a PHP framework. Most of these frameworks, such as Laravel, supports almost all databases, and integration with databases is much easier than using the raw PHP. Also, manipulating databases such as the use of CRUD is much faster, easier and safer as it involves already tested snippets of code, hence ensuring that your application can not be compromised.
Tasks such as session management, caching, URL mapping and authentication are taken care of when using a PHP framework. This allows you to code faster as a PHP developer and assures you of your application’s safety by having guaranteed safety measures have been put in place.
PHP frameworks also come with out of the box solutions such as protection from targeted security attacks, unit testing functionalities and user management. These solutions are tested before being integrated into the platforms to ensure that the framework’s applications work as efficiently as possible.
PHP Content Management Systems (CMS)
The CMS, unlike frameworks which are arranged based on code, are arranged based on modules. The content management systems also do not require you to be able to code. This makes it easier for people looking to create websites using PHP but have no prior experience in coding to do so easily.
Using CMS, a web developer can still come up with complex web applications such as social media platforms, eCommerce sites, blog applications and news portals. The development of these applications is also much faster than any other method of development, making it one of the most commonly used platforms for web development.
Some of the most common PHP content management systems include WordPress, Joomla and Drupal, which make up more than 90 percent of CMS in use today. WordPress is the most widely used CMS with a market share of over 60 percent of all CMS used
Exploring WordPress
As a content management system, WordPress is one of the easiest CMS to use for your development work. It also powers over 37 percent of all websites on the internet, making it the leading web platform in the world.
Its uniqueness arises from the fact that it is free to use and most of its themes and plugins are also free to use. It is also a community-driven platform, and this ensures that every problem that you might encounter is addressed, mostly through community forums. Users can also contribute to most of its core code since it is open source.
You can be able to develop almost any type of web application using WordPress. This includes online portfolios, affiliate websites,eCommerce sites, community hubs and business sites. This is done through specialized plugins, e.g., WooCommerce plugin, that turn your website into an eCommerce site.
Recommendation
PHP still remains one of the most powerful serverside scripting languages for web developers. People looking to start their web development career should consider the language due to how easy it is to code using the language and its large community.
Applications developed using PHP are also much safer and the language comes with a set of security libraries that help application developers to develop safe web apps, hence the reason it is still considered one of the best programming languages.
