PHP Tutorial
Master server-side programming with PHP
🚀 Welcome to PHP Learning
PHP is a powerful server-side scripting language designed for web development. It's easy to learn, widely used, and perfect for creating dynamic websites and applications.
<?php
// Your first PHP code
echo "Hello, PHP World!";
?>
Output:
Hello, PHP World!
Why Learn PHP?
Easy to Learn
PHP has simple syntax similar to C and Java, making it beginner-friendly. You can start building websites quickly with minimal code.
Web Focused
Built specifically for web development, PHP seamlessly integrates with HTML and works perfectly with databases to create dynamic content.
Free & Open Source
PHP is completely free to use and has a massive community. Access thousands of free resources, frameworks, and libraries.
Powerful Features
From simple scripts to complex applications, PHP handles it all. Connect to databases, process forms, manage sessions, and more.
🔹 What Can PHP Do?
PHP is incredibly versatile for web development:
- Generate Dynamic Content: Create pages that change based on user input or database data
- Handle Forms: Collect and process user information securely
- Work with Databases: Store, retrieve, and manage data with MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more
- Manage Sessions: Track users across multiple pages
- Send Emails: Automate email notifications and communications
- Create APIs: Build backend services for mobile and web apps
<?php
// Dynamic greeting based on time
$hour = date("H");
if ($hour < 12) {
echo "Good Morning!";
} elseif ($hour < 18) {
echo "Good Afternoon!";
} else {
echo "Good Evening!";
}
?>
Output (example):
Good Afternoon!
🔹 Popular PHP Frameworks
Once you master PHP basics, explore these powerful frameworks:
Laravel
The most popular PHP framework with elegant syntax and powerful features for modern web applications.
Symfony
Enterprise-level framework known for flexibility and reusable components used by many large projects.
CodeIgniter
Lightweight and fast framework perfect for beginners who want structure without complexity.
WordPress
The world's most popular CMS, powering over 40% of websites. Built entirely with PHP.
🔹 Your Learning Path
Follow this structured path to master PHP:
- PHP Introduction: Understand what PHP is and how it works
- Installation: Set up your development environment
- Syntax Basics: Learn PHP code structure and rules
- Comments: Document your code effectively
- Variables: Store and manipulate data
- Data Types: Work with different kinds of information
- Operators: Perform calculations and comparisons
- Control Structures: Make decisions and create loops
- Functions: Write reusable code blocks
- Arrays: Manage collections of data
🔹 Quick Start Example
Here's a complete PHP example showing multiple concepts:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My PHP Page</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to PHP!</h1>
<?php
// Variables
$name = "John";
$age = 25;
// Output
echo "<p>Hello, my name is $name.</p>";
echo "<p>I am $age years old.</p>";
// Calculation
$nextYear = $age + 1;
echo "<p>Next year I'll be $nextYear.</p>";
?>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Welcome to PHP!
Hello, my name is John.
I am 25 years old.
Next year I'll be 26.