What is PHP? Meaning, Full Form, History, and Uses
Introduction – What is PHP?
PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor.
It is a server-side scripting language mainly used to build dynamic and interactive web pages. PHP code is executed on the server, and the result is sent to the client’s web browser as plain HTML.
In simple words, PHP helps websites “do things”—like logging in users, storing data, or sending emails—rather than just displaying static information.
PHP is:
Easy to learn for beginners
Free and open-source
Compatible with most operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Used with databases like MySQL
Full Form of PHP
Originally, PHP stood for “Personal Home Page.”
However, as it evolved into a professional programming language, it was renamed to “PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor” — which is a recursive acronym (the first letter refers to itself).
History of PHP – From a Simple Tool to a Global Web Language
The journey of PHP began in the mid-1990s and has continuously evolved. Let’s explore how it started and grew:
| Year | Version / Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Creation by Rasmus Lerdorf | Rasmus Lerdorf, a Danish-Canadian programmer, created PHP to track visits to his online resume. It was called Personal Home Page Tools. |
| 1995 | PHP/FI (Form Interpreter) | The language was expanded to handle forms and databases. It became known as PHP/FI. |
| 1997 | PHP 2.0 | Open-source release. Community started contributing. |
| 1998 | PHP 3.0 | Rewrite by Andi Gutmans and Zeev Suraski. PHP became a robust scripting language. |
| 2000 | PHP 4.0 | Introduced Zend Engine, improving performance and reliability. |
| 2004 | PHP 5.0 | Added Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) features, better XML and MySQL support. |
| 2015 | PHP 7.0 | Huge speed improvements, new type declarations. |
| 2020 | PHP 8.0 | Introduced JIT (Just-In-Time Compilation) for even faster performance. |
Today, over 75% of websites using server-side languages use PHP — including Facebook, WordPress, and Wikipedia.
Why PHP Became So Popular
PHP became successful because it was:
Open-source and free to use
Easy to embed in HTML
Compatible with all major web servers (Apache, Nginx, IIS)
Supports databases like MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL
Fast and efficient for creating dynamic web content
Widely supported by hosting providers
How PHP Works (Step-by-Step Example)
Let’s understand PHP’s workflow in a simple way:
A user opens a web page with PHP code (like
index.php).The web server (like Apache) sends the PHP code to the PHP interpreter.
The PHP engine executes the code on the server.
The output (usually HTML) is sent back to the user’s browser.
Example:
When this code runs, the browser shows:
Hello, welcome to PHP world!
Key Features of PHP
PHP is loved by beginners and professionals because of its simple yet powerful features:
Simple syntax (easy to read and write)
Supports Object-Oriented Programming
Database integration (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
Built-in security features
Extensive library support
Cross-platform compatibility
High performance with PHP 8
Uses of PHP in the Real World
PHP is used in various web-based projects such as:
Dynamic websites (e.g., WordPress, Drupal)
E-commerce platforms (e.g., Magento, OpenCart)
Web applications (e.g., email forms, chat apps)
Content Management Systems (CMS)
Learning management systems (LMS)
Database-driven websites (banking, school portals)
PHP and Modern Web Development
Even though newer languages like Python and JavaScript (Node.js) have emerged, PHP remains dominant in the web world.
In fact:
WordPress (built on PHP) powers over 40% of all websites.
PHP keeps evolving with PHP 8.x, supporting faster execution and advanced programming styles.
Advantages of Learning PHP for Students
For students beginning their programming journey, PHP offers:
A simple and practical introduction to web development
High job demand for PHP developers
Freelance opportunities in website building
A stepping stone to learning other languages (Python, JavaScript)