One of the most important things an entrepreneur of a web development company has to decide is what technology to use. It's important to pick a suitable web technology because it affects how quickly and safely you can build things as well as your success. These are the places where PHP sparkles. It is a strong language that can be used in a lot of different ways. It can be a great tool for building a new business because it has a lot of useful features. Compared to other server-side computer languages, it has a great mix of versatility and ease of use that other languages wish they had.
This post will give you the ins and outs of PHP, including the language's definition, its widespread use, and more!
What is PHP?
PHP, which stands for "Hypertext Preprocessor," is a server-side computer language adopted to build websites. Rasmus Lerdorf did the work on it in 1994 and then shared it with everyone at the very beginning of 1995.
Most of the time, this computer language is applied to make databases, online stores, session monitoring, and multimedia web pages. Among the earliest open-source server-side languages to be incorporated into HTML, it was widely used by developers. It works on all major running platforms, so developers can use it. This makes it easy to add more web pages without downloading data from external files every time they are viewed.
Several recognized databases, like MySQL, Informix, PostgreSQL, Sybase, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server, can also work with PHP.
Startups: What Are the Most Popular Uses of PHP?
PHP is a flexible language that can be used for everything from making quick prototypes to full-fledged web apps. It's perfect for startups that want to be flexible and save money at the same time. These are its main strengths:
1. Minimum Viable Products (MVPs)
With PHP's fast development speed and large open-source tools, you can effortlessly make changes that work well. Make lean prototypes to test your ideas, get funds, and get important feedback from users.
2. Content Management Systems (CMS)
Use powerful PHP-based content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or Drupal to make it easy to control the content on your website. You don't have to know how to code, so you can focus on making interesting material.
3. E-commerce Platforms
Strong PHP-based platforms like Magento or PrestaShop can help you get your online store off the ground. You can easily keep track of your goods, take funds, and ship orders, giving your customers a safe and easy shopping experience. Don't worry about technology limits as your business grows; just scale up without any problems.
4. Custom Web Applications
Making custom web apps that fit your wants and goals is what you do. No matter if you're making a social networking site or a customer page, PHP lets you make solutions that match your needs. Using APIs, you can easily connect to third-party tools and services to make them work better together.
5. APIs and Integrations
PHP's powerful API connection features let you connect your app to a wide range of options. You can easily get data from payment systems or other services, which will make your app more useful without having to start from scratch. Set up safe and effective connections to optimize processes and build lasting partnerships.
Reasons To Choose PHP For Your Startup
Today's new languages such as Python and Ruby are much more popular than PHP, so it's clear that PHP is currently not the preferred computer language. But PHP is still alive, even though everyone else thinks it is dying. On the other hand, it is still one of the most popular computer languages. It has many benefits over other computer languages that developers all over the globe should consider and appreciate. There are many good reasons to use PHP for your startup to look into:
1. It's simple to understand and use.
PHP is easy to master, and its code is well put together. Because PHP sentences are so easy, anyone who knows how to code in any language can grasp them quickly. As a coding language, PHP is easy for new coders to learn because it is simple to understand.
Newcomer PHP programmers can join the team in the middle of a project and not get lost in their work because the code is well-organized and clean.
2. It’s open source.
PHP is a server-side language which is open-source and free to use. Using PHP cuts down on the cost of building your website. Also, PHP doesn't have any maintenance fees or paid versions that you need to run. You only need to hire a PHP Development Company to get the website up and going.
3. It can be used with a lot of different operating systems.
One great thing about PHP is that it can be used on any device. It means that most websites can work with it and that it can be used on Mac OS, Windows, and Linux. PHP also works with all of the major websites, which makes it easy and affordable to set up on a lot of different systems and platforms.
4. The community strongly backs it.
PHP is an old programming language that is employed by a lot of people and has a big, dedicated community behind it. There are a lot of guides, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and tips out there to help new PHP developers learn the language and keep it improving through constant updates.
5. It's quick and secure.
Every business wants its website or app to be quick and safe. PHP makes good use of its memory and works quickly, especially with the most recent versions.
In the past, people worried about how safe PHP was. It is important to note, though, that it is not inherently secure or less secure than other computer languages. But it is better than some other computer languages in some ways. Because it is widely used and has community support, many tools, standards, and best practices are now accessible to help fix flaws and protect against cyberattacks. This is one of the biggest benefits.
6. It is well connected with databases.
PHP is a very accessible language when it involves connecting to databases. It works with a lot of various databases, like MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and more.
Most of the time, MySQL is utilized with PHP, but you can also design a PHP web application with other databases. Because PHP can work with different types of databases, it can be used in a wide range of application settings to make custom websites or web apps.
7. It's been tried and proven.
Since PHP has been surrounding for more than 2 decades, it has been tried in many real-life situations, which is a big plus. The most important bugs have been found and fixed, which makes coders trust the language more.
Besides that, many frameworks and tools have been created over time to help make PHP web development safer, faster, and more useful.
8. It can be scaled up or down and is flexible for building custom websites.
Businesses need to make changes whether they are growing or starting something new. If a website or app is good, it should be competent to adapt to these changing needs quickly and easily. So, developers should always think about how to make their code scalable. They need to make a website that is flexible and versatile so that it can grow or shrink with the program without disturbing the individuals who use it.
You can change your code in PHP at any stage in the process of making software. The code or order function doesn't need to be written over by programmers. The programming language can also handle a lot of data and many requests at the same time.
9. It offers reliable PHP framework solutions.
Many frameworks have been made that are built on PHP and make it easy for writers to make web apps. Frameworks like CakePHP, CodeIgniter, Laravel, Zend Framework, Symfony, Yii, and more can help businesses.
Developers can make great websites and web apps with these platforms. Most of the above frameworks work with the Model View Controller (MVC) design, which makes writing code faster and lets professionals make solutions that work.
10. It works well with CMSs
Those who develop websites often choose PHP because it works well with many content management systems, which is a big plus. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, PrestaShop, Magento, and many more of the most famous CMSs are written in PHP or use a framework that is built on PHP.
If you use PHP as your main tech for your PHP website creation job, you will be adept at working with many CMSs. A content management system (CMS) built on PHP can be used to make websites that are fully useful and fit your needs.
11. It works with cloud-based services
A lot of current computer services, like Amazon Web Services, use cloud computing for a lot of different reasons. PHP-based apps can even be used with some cloud services, like AWS Lambda. This means that PHP web apps can be put on a cloud server and get many benefits, such as the ability to grow quickly. Also, other programming languages have been replaced by PHP in these kinds of applications because they are not the most popular in cloud computing.
Conclusion
To sum up, PHP is a good choice for most startups that want to make a website or an online app. It's easy to pick up, secure, free, and open source, and it can be expanded for more functionality. If you're trying to decide which computer language to use for your new business, PHP is ideal. It's free and comes with a lot of free tools and packages. It's very common, so there are a lot of people who may perform it.
A lot of companies give SDKs that already do the hard work, which makes it easy to connect. That being said, it should at least be on your consideration list of possible ideal computer languages for your tech stack. If you're still not sure about how to use PHP to make software, talking to a professional PHP expert will help you understand everything better.