Quick Intro to PHP Development by Alan Grissett
Chances are that if you've been around the Internet long enough, you've heard of
server-side scripting languages such as PERL, ASP and ColdFusion. These are all
popular languages that are used to add interactivity to Web sites, but one
stands out from the crowd in terms of usability, power, and, yes, price: the
PHP scripting language. Initially developed in 1995 by North Carolina
programmer Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP has since blossomed into one of the leading
open-source, cross-platform scripting languages available. This is due, in
large part, to the worldwide community of coders that contributes to its
development. Unlike proprietary scripting languages like ASP and ColdFusion,
PHP's source code is freely available for peer review and contributions. This
is, of course, the essence of open-source software development, but why is it
that PHP in particular has gained such popularity among Web developers when
there are other open-source alternatives, such as good old-fashioned PERL CGI
scripts?
One very strong reason is that PHP, unlike PERL CGI scripts, is scalable and
fast. Instead of requiring the server to start a new process in the operating
system's kernel for each new request, which uses both CPU time and memory, PHP
can run as a part of the Web server itself, which saves a considerable amount
of processing time when dealing with multiple requests. This decreased
processing time means that PHP can be used for high-traffic sites that cannot
afford to have their performance hampered by relatively slow CGI scripts.
In addition to its scalability and speed, another usability factor that sets
PHP apart is its ease of use. The PHP language is considered to be a mix
between C and PERL, and it draws from the best features of each parent
language, while adding unique features of its own. For example, PHP code can be
embedded within standard HTML documents without using additional print
statements or calling separate scripts to perform the processing tasks. In
practice, this allows for very flexible programming practices. Although a
working knowledge of HTML is a prerequisite for PHP development, PHP's basic
functions can be learned quickly and applied to a wide range of common
Webmaster-related projects, such as order forms, e-mail responses, and
interactive Web pages.
Contributing to the power of the PHP language, is its native support for
leading relational database platforms, including MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL.
Platform-specific functions are built into the language for 12 databases in
all. This native support for database platforms is a boon to any site that
needs to track user information, store product data, or collect sales
information.
Last but not least, because PHP is open-source, it is essentially free to use.
Almost all professional Unix-based Web hosts offer PHP as an included option
with hosting accounts. Be sure to check with your host to see if it is
available to you.
This article is meant to be an introduction to the PHP language and not a
tutorial, but have no fear--here are several first-rate sites that have
articles that will guide you along in beginning your PHP development projects:
www.php.net www.onlamp.com/php/ www.phpbuilder.com
About the Author
Alan is the lead developer for InfoServe Media, LLC (http://www.infoservemedia.com),
a Web development company that specializes in Web site design, hosting, domain
name registration, and promotion for small businesses.
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