Course/Module 1/Topic 1 of 4Beginner

What is PHP?

PHP is a server-side scripting language used to build dynamic websites. It powers WordPress, Facebook (originally), and millions of websites worldwide.

15 min•By Priygop Team•Last updated: Feb 2026

What is PHP?

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a server-side scripting language designed for web development. Created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994, PHP runs on the server and generates HTML that is sent to the browser. Unlike HTML/CSS/JavaScript which run in the browser, PHP runs on the web server. WordPress (43% of all websites), Wikipedia, and Facebook were originally built with PHP.

Why Learn PHP?

Powers 77% of all websites with server-side languages
WordPress, Drupal, Joomla — all built with PHP
Easy to learn — beginner-friendly syntax
Works with MySQL for database-driven websites
Large hosting support — almost every web host supports PHP
Good job market — PHP developers are in demand

Your First PHP Program

Example

<?php
// This is a PHP comment
echo "Hello, World!";
echo "<br>";
echo "Welcome to PHP!";
echo "<br>";
echo "I am learning PHP!";
?>

Try It Yourself: PHP Hello World

Try It Yourself: PHP Hello WorldHTML

HTML Editor

✓ ValidTab = 2 spaces

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
    body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 20px; background: #f0f0f0; }
    .php-output { background: #1e1e1e; color: #a8d8a8; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; font-family: monospace; }
    h2 { color: #8993be; }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h2>🐘 PHP Output Simulation</h2>
  <p>PHP runs on the server. Here we simulate what PHP would output:</p>
  <div class="php-output" id="output"></div>
  <script>
    // Simulating PHP echo output
    const phpCode = [
      "Hello, World!",
      "Welcome to PHP!",
      "I am learning PHP!",
      "",
      "PHP is a server-side language.",
      "It generates HTML dynamically.",
    ];
    document.getElementById("output").innerHTML =
      phpCode.map(line => line || "&nbsp;").join("<br />");
  </script>
</body>
</html>

Result

Click ▶ Run to see the result

Edit the code on the left, then click Run

HTML|28 lines|819 chars|✓ Valid syntax

UTF-8

Quick Quiz

Chat on WhatsAppPriygop - Leading Professional Development Platform | Expert Courses & Interview Prep