Quick Summary
With the increasing demand for digitalization, businesses are focused on serving their customers in the best way possible. For this reason, companies look for flawless websites and apps. Building such apps is possible only when you use the most trusted and latest programming language like PHP.
PHP was introduced a few years back, but even today, it is one of the popular web development languages among developers worldwide.
What sets PHP apart?
Why is it a versatile language?
Is it helpful today?
All such queries are answered well in this post. Have a look!
PHP – A Web Development Language
Technically termed Hypertext Processor, PHP is a server-side, open-source programming language introduced by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994.
Since then, it is used for developing interactive and dynamic web content, databases, eCommerce websites, and session tracking. It is the first server-side language to embed into HTML. Hence, allowing easier integration of multiple web pages without the need to load external data files.
The Highlights of PHP
Over the years, there have been numerous programming languages introduced. But certain traits of PHP make it stand out over other languages.
It’s because PHP is:
Server-Side
It is processed using a PHP interpreter on the web server allowing to send the output in the form of HTML to a web browser.
Object-Oriented
This object-oriented programming language uses ‘objects’ to feed data and helps build reusable and complex web applications.
Scripting Language
It is a scripting language does not require compilation and is interpreted by a different program. The scripting languages are interpreted either client-side or server-side in the browser.
Quick
Open-Source
It is available for free use and download.
Well Supported
It is compatible with leading databases like ODBC, SQLite, MySQL, Apache, and IIS, and works on major platforms like Linux, Mac OS, Windows, etc. It is supported by top-notch PHP frameworks like Symfony, CodeIgniter, and Laravel.
Easy to Learn
It comes with easy-to-understand PHP syntax, which makes it convenient to build apps from scratch or use add-ons and existing frameworks.
While most other languages are considered either weak or strong, PHP is a dynamic language that is useful for both weakly and strongly typed variables. It denotes how loosely or strictly the conversion occurs.
Reasons for Extensive Popularity of PHP
1. User-friendly and Easy to Learn
PHP is a simple and easy-to-learn language, which is why it is the most popular language. If you don’t have experience or knowledge in web development, you could easily create a web page in PHP. The simple syntax and user-friendly command functions make it a great programming language for new and skilled developers.
2. Open Source and Free
Getting started with PHP is simple and free. It quickly installs and offers open access to an extensive number of PHP frameworks like Symfony and Laravel. This feature helps companies to control their web development cost.
3. Versatile
PHP works on all major platforms like Linux, Windows, Mac OS, and other web browsers. It supports major web servers, making it simpler to deploy the different platforms and systems at a lower cost.
4. Top-Notch Security
When it comes to security, there is no match to PHP. It has its memory and competes for speed with other programming languages. Also, the newer version is highly secured and protects your website from most cyberattacks.
5. Well-Connected Databases
PHP can be connected safely to almost all sorts of databases. Hence, developers enjoy more freedom when selecting a database that is best suited for application development using PHP.
6. Strong Community Support
It is a wonderful scripting language used extensively. The big and loyal community support offers resources like FAQs, plenty of tutorials, tips, and regular updates for new PHP developers.
7. Scalable
Your business may change, and you might be in the expanding phase of your company, adding new ventures. Your application or website is successful when it seamlessly accommodates the changing requirement of your business.
PHP enables developers to build flexible web applications. It is scalable and allows the development of dynamic pages. You can alter your code any time using PHP. Developers don’t have to rewrite the command or code function again.
8. Tried and Tested
Developers have been using this programming language for many years; therefore, its popularity is higher. It is a tested language for multiple real-life developments. It is free from bugs and errors, which makes this language trusted and reliable by the developers. Even it has more reliable tools and frameworks offering developers secured resources.
9. Works Well with CMS
Website development is a consistent process. The work does not finish even after its launch. You should manage, update, and keep editing your website to stay ahead of the competition.
So, developers should work with other team experts like Content managers, PPC, and SEO. PHP works well with unique content management systems like WordPress. It holds compatibility with top CMS globally like Drupal, Joomla, Shopify, and Magento, and it is powered by other PHP-based frameworks.
PHP even allows the development of well-customized websites that are not present in CMS.
When to Use PHP Development?
If you want to deliver an unmatched digital experience to strengthen your brand-customer relationship and gain an edge over others, PHP is the right choice for you!
Build a Publicly Available Website or App in Little Time
PHP is an excellent programming language to release your app fast in the market. It delivers quick results and is convenient to use.
It is inbuilt with prevalent frameworks and ready-made libraries that allow quick development of apps and websites.
To Build Stable Applications
PHP is an active language that comes with regular upgrades. Its memory is built-in with numerous PHP resources that decrease the loading time and workload. It imparts stability to the applications developed in PHP.
To Build SEO Optimized Website or App
Your application can gain success in the online world when it is easily searchable. For this reason, SEO optimization is of utmost importance. The clean HTML of PHP is preferred by search engines and the websites developed using PHP gain immense traffic in a short period.
Some PHP Applications in Action!
PHP delivers excellent development opportunities. Let’s consider some examples of PHP development in action.
Yahoo!
This news portal and search engine moved from C/C++ to PHP and enjoyed reduced costs and easy scalability options. It presently serves 700 million users monthly around the world.
Using its exclusive version of PHP – HipHop Virtual Machine, Facebook enjoys unlimited scaling and presently has 2.45 billion monthly active users.
Canva
With an exploded growth over a few years, it supports user-friendly photo editors with templates to create print graphics or web. It has 10 million users in around 179 countries and has an eminent design platform.
Mailchimp
With over 12 million customers, Mailchimp conquered around 60.5 % of the email industry.
Wikipedia
It is another PHP-based website and application that enjoys amazing scalability and stability. It is developed at a pace of 1.9 edits per second and is uploaded with 594 articles daily. Hence, it is a wonderful example of PHP in action.
PHP Development – Today and Tomorrow
Considering the above-mentioned benefits and potentials of PHP, it would be correct to say that PHP is an efficient language capable of handling extensive and big projects. With simple syntax and user-friendly capabilities, it is a scalable language, suitable for commercial use and big organizations.
Many articles state PHP as an old and irrelevant language, but it is still continuously evolving over the years and has become one of the finest development languages. The rich customer support and regular improvements make it a suitable choice for experts in the web technology sector.
But the programming language you select for developing modern apps depends entirely on the requirement of a project. Customers today demand intuitive, fast, and feature-rich apps that a trusted PHP development company can provide you.
Conclusion
Presently, PHP is dominating the entire web technology. Regular improvements and modifications in this language make it highly efficient, competitive, and demanding, which makes it the correct choice for creating applications.
AIS Technolabs has years of experience in PHP application development. We house an experienced team of CMS and PHP specialists that can deliver custom websites, apps, eCommerce stores, and portals to help your business scale quickly.
Whether you want to carry security updates on your existing website or want to hire a new PHP website development partner, we are here to help!
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