Introduction to PHP – A Beginner’s Guide

What is PHP?

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a popular open-source scripting language used for web development. It is primarily used to create dynamic and interactive web pages, working seamlessly with HTML, databases, and various web technologies.

Why Learn PHP?

• Easy to Learn – PHP has a simple syntax, making it beginner-friendly.
• Widely Used – Powering websites like Facebook, WordPress, and Wikipedia.
• Database Integration – Works well with MySQL and other databases.
• Open-Source & Free – No licensing costs.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility – Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Setting Up PHP on Your System

Before writing PHP code, you need a local server environment. The most common options are:

Installing XAMPP (Windows, macOS, Linux)

1. Download XAMPP from Apache Friends
2. Install and launch Apache & MySQL services.
3. Store PHP files in the htdocs folder inside the XAMPP directory.

Installing MAMP (For macOS Users)

1. Download MAMP from MAMP Official Site
2. Install and start Apache & MySQL.
3. Place PHP files in the htdocs directory.

Writing Your First PHP Script

1. Open a text editor (VS Code, Sublime Text, or Notepad++).
2. Save a new file as index.php.
3. Add the following PHP code:

<?php
    echo "Hello, World!";
?>

4. Place this file in htdocs (XAMPP) or www (MAMP) folder.
5. Open a web browser and go to http://localhost/index.php to see the output.

Understanding PHP Syntax

• PHP Code Blocks: Enclosed within <?php ... ?> tags.
• Statements End with a Semicolon (;).
• Case-Sensitive Variables: $name and $Name are different.

Example:

<?php
  $greeting = "Welcome to PHP!";
  echo $greeting;
?>

Next Steps

Now that you’ve set up PHP and written your first script, continue learning:

• PHP Variables & Data Types
• PHP Operators
• PHP Conditional Statements

Stay tuned for more lessons in this PHP Complete Course!