[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here is hardly a person nowadays, who has not heard of a programming language called PHP. PHP, or, as it is also called, Hypertext Preprocessor, is one of the most popular programming languages among modern IT specialists. It was created long back in 1994 by Rasmus Lerdorf and at the beginning, it was nothing more than a simple set of CGI binaries written in a programming language called C. Right now, it is a highly popular programming language that is operated in numerous frameworks, such as Laravel development environment and is being used by a wide amount of programmers.
So Where Can You Actually Use PHP Development?
So far, the PHP language has been used for completing three types of tasks:
- Scripts creation for execution on the server side
- Scripts creation to run them in the command line
- Window applications creation to run on the client side
As for the more specific features of PHP use, it could also be mentioned that it is an excellent decision for web design and development. You might not have known that, but PHP is an often-used programming language for web application development. You could also build a website using it. But let’s not spoil everything from the very beginning as we prepared a whole list of reasons why PHP has always been and will always be popular.
1. Newbie’s Best Friend
When beginners think of what programming language to start learning the answer should be ‘PHP’. Why so? First of all – because it is incredibly easy to use. Secondly – it is an open source, which means that anyone can use it. Thirdly – it is free. For real. If all that does not sound convincing enough for you, we have something else to share. Did you know that PHP could be run on any system? Sounds like a great deal, doesn’t it? Mainly all these key advantages of PHP make it so attractive to those, who are only starting out their programming career. According to Built With, the amount of websites that are running on PHP today is approximately 35 million!
2. Just Like Mystique
Do you remember this awesome character from X-Men that was able to adapt to any situation? This is in many ways what PHP will allow you to do. While using PHP you will be able to change the code whenever you like. Using PHP as a back-end for your website provides you with just the necessary flexibility to adapt to demands of a modern, high-paced world of web development.
3. The Ocean of Information
Because of the advantages that we discussed earlier, this programming language earned quite a big amount of fans. As a result – now you can find a ton of information concerning this topic, from tips for beginners to serious works for professionals. Another great thing is that there are numerous online and in-class courses for those who want to deepen their knowledge and, therefore, maybe even increase their web developer salary.
4. Constant Development
Being an open source to anyone PHP might be an interest to any programmer with a web development project. This constant interest results in the development of various add-ons and new extensions that really ease things up for newcomers. Therefore, the whole process of writing code becomes more convenient.
5. Fast & Furious
Using this particular programming language might significantly increase your website speed. That is mainly why any web development company with the more or less serious project would want to use PHP in it. As we already mentioned before, Hypertext Preprocessor can be used for any type of website in combination with PHP frameworks. So it is only understandable, that the bigger the website it, the faster turnaround time is expected. All that you can easily achieve by integration with various CMSs.
6. PHP Development & Frameworks
Another great thing about it is that you can choose among various frameworks, depending on what task you put in front of yourself. Over the years there had been numerous frameworks, some even designed specifically for this programming language. For example, Laravel framework, that came out in 2011 and up to this day is highly praised for its functionality. Due to its enormous popularity, there are now lots of informational resources for its users. So whenever you have a question about how to use Laravel – you will not face any problems finding the answer.
Not everyone knows though, that Laravel framework was developed based on another great environment called Symfony. Both frameworks have their advantages and disadvantages so the argument ‘Symphony vs. Lavarel’ still goes on among modern developers. We might just add that choosing a framework for coding, be it PHP or some other programming language, is quite a personal matter. You should make a choice based on the tasks you put in front of yourself and the type of your project.
Conclusion
A lot can be said about programming languages and PHP in particular, but you cannot deny the fact, that its numbers speak for themselves. Sure, this language has some flaws, but hey – all of them do! There is not a single programming language in the world that all developers would all agree on to be the best. However, if you concentrate your attention on positive things that this language allows you to do, you will see a powerful tool for various tasks.
Even though that it had been created quite a while ago, PHP still holds leading positions in the world of web development. Being such a versatile language, we have strong doubts that it will disappear any time soon. As long as we do not have a definite analog that would complete the same tasks, PHP will continue thriving and attracting more followers. If you are a beginner – give it a try, learning it is in many ways ‘a must’ for any programmer who is hoping to build a great career in this field. And if you are a professional – there is no shame in deepening your knowledge.
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