PHP stands for “Hypertext Preprocessor” and is a widely used open source scripting language that is specially designed for web programming and can be seamlessly embedded in HTML. As a server-side language, PHP is primarily used for the dynamic design of websites and the development of interactive web applications.
In contrast to client-side languages such as Javascript, PHP code is executed on the server. The programs, stored as simple text files, are converted into machine code by the web server when they are called up. The generated HTML code is sent to the client without revealing the actual PHP code. PHP code is processed on the server side by an interpreter on the web server. The output of this interpreter, usually an HTML document, is sent to the browser. PHP also enables the generation of different file types, including images or PDF files.
The use of PHP is characterized by its simplicity for beginners and at the same time offers an extensive range of functions for professional programmers. The modern semantics and availability in installation packages for various operating systems have made PHP a comprehensive, object-oriented programming language, which is now available in version 8.