If you want to have a successful career as an IT expert, the first step is to choose the programming language to learn. Due to the popularity and ease with which they learn, many beginners choose PHP programming development.
PHP programming for beginners
The abbreviation PHP originally meant Personal Home Page . Further development has led to a serious programming language that is used throughout the world. Today, PHP stands for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (the letter P refers to the term PHP).
Some of the most popular sites in the world are created with the help of this language. Just to name a few: Facebook, Yahoo, Wikipedia, WordPress, Tumblr, MailChimp, Baidu ...
What is PHP?
PHP is a general-purpose scripting language whose main, but not the only, function is to process data on a web server and implement it in HTML code. It allows fast processing and page loading and runs on almost all operating systems. PHP works by being recognized by the web server and generating HTML or other output that clients (mainly web browsers) can recognize.
Advantages of using PHP programming
This programming language is very popular because it also allows programmers with less experience to achieve work performance. Due to the many advantages and ease of use, millions of websites and web applications are created using this language.
Easy to use - the language is easy to learn and implement, and updating the site and adding new options is relatively simple. An additional mitigating circumstance is support for the most popular CMS (Content management system), such as WordPress, Joomla or Drupal.
It's free - it's an open source solution and you don't need to buy software.
Cross-platform compatibility - PHP supports all the most popular operating systems, and sites built with this program can be easily integrated on most servers.
Popularity - given that it is currently the most popular programming language in the world, there are a large number of people you can consult with. This way, you can search Google for solutions to almost any problem you encounter. There is a high probability that someone had the same problem.
How does PHP work?
Because PHP is a general purpose language, it can be used to create general purpose scripts. This language is primarily oriented towards the internet environment, which makes it ideal for creating dynamic web pages.
Such a type of site appeared with the development of the Internet, when active communication with visitors became a necessity. Although there are other programming languages that help create dynamic sites, PHP has achieved the greatest success.
Because it is web-oriented, this language contains many options for creating websites. PHP allows interaction with HTML forms, but also the processing of information that the user requests. It is also possible to communicate with databases in order to store user information. In addition, it is possible to generate and display secure sites by entering your username and password.
It should be noted that the PHP activity runs directly on the server, which means that it is impossible to interact with the computer. Therefore, certain space-related options are impossible to achieve. This means that with PHP you can't influence the screen resolution, the mouse behavior…
That's why, in addition to PHP, JavaScript is often used. This script can't access servers, but that's why it can do things that PHP can't do. There are several areas in which this programming language has proven to be excellent for:
Databases - for sites that rely on databases, PHP is an ideal working tool. Scripts created with this language can host database data and allow the user to access it.
System commands - this language can collaborate with operating systems to perform tasks. This way you can issue an order to the system and receive feedback. This option is often used by system administrators for various tests.
Working with system files - many sites need to communicate directly with system files. PHP is a great solution for doing this, as it can communicate with files and directories that are "locally" and can be accessed online. This allows you to create, copy, and delete files, among other things.
Because the PHP programming language is mainly used for working on websites, its advantages are more pronounced in the online environment.
What is PHP
Special benefits to working on sites
When used online, PHP is embedded in HTML code. This allows you to edit pages that contain PHP in the same way you do with HTML pages. When this language is installed, files with this code have .php and .phtml extensions. The user is never shown the complete PHP code that is embedded in HTML, which leads to greater security.
Many illustrate this case with the popular Hello World code :
Hello World ”; ?>
On the other hand, the browser will present this code as Hello World. What has been left out are PHP () statements that the user never sees.
What does it take to start programming?
Because this is a language whose operations run directly on the server, it must support PHP. Otherwise, the script or code will not work. This can sometimes be an aggravating circumstance, especially when it comes to testing pages. In order not to constantly communicate with the server (and to depend on the quality of the internet connection), it is recommended that you perform the activity offline on your computer.
This is done using programs that simulate server activity whether it is Windows or Mac OS X. Installation within the Windows operating system can be done in two ways: manually (part by part deo) or by installing the package that contains the entire system .
The most popular is WampServer , which allows the PHP installation of the web server and database. If you are working with Linux or Unix, then you will have PHP already installed on your system. To allow working with PHP, several conditions must be met.
Installing the web server on your computer
In principle, PHP does not even need a web server to be functional, but only an interpreter. But if you use PHP to work on the web, you will need to find a suitable server. Installing the server is not that complicated, as long as you have decided on a specific web server.
Yes, there are several and you only have to choose one. The good news is that you can easily reduce your selection to a few free ones, the most popular of which are Apache and NGINX. The even better news is that this software can be bundled with the operating system, database, and PHP itself.
Perhaps the most popular package is called LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP). It allows quick and easy installation of all the above. Apache is certainly, in addition to NGINX, the most popular option, given that most sites on the Internet use these two options.
Installing PHP on your computer
I already mentioned that PHP is server-oriented. However, for safer operation and testing, you need to install PHP on your computer. If you have already installed the server, you can manually install PHP on your PC (Linux and Mac most often have PHP already installed). This can be done manually in Windows in a few steps:
1. Download the file - if possible from the official PHP pages; ;
2. Unpack the downloaded file - set the directory on your computer (for example C: PHP) and start unpacking;
3. Set php.ini file - rename the php.ini-development file to php.ini. Then open the file in the text editor (eg Notepad) and change the following positions:128M memory_limit in 1G. Remove ";" from the line; extension_dir = "ext". Then delete # before extension = lines: extension = php_gd2.dll, extension = php_curl.dll, extension = php_mbstring.dll, extension = php_openssl.dll, extension = php_pdo_mysql.dll, extension = php_pdo_sqlite.dll, extension = ph. dll
4. Enter the path to PHP - for Windows to find PHP, you need to change the path of the environment variable. In Advanced System Settings, click Environment Variables, click Path, and go to Edit. Go to New and add row C: PHP.
For a more detailed explanation of the instructions, go to the official PHP page. However, if you are unfamiliar with the many settings, you can always install a package that contains the entire system. One of the most popular is WampServer.
Choosing tools for PHP coding
PHP source code can be written in basic text editors (eg Notepad). However, it is best to use tools that recognize and mark PHP commands. For this purpose, programs that create HTML pages are often used, and the best known is of course Adobe Dreamweaver.
Dreamweaver is definitely a great option, although for a start you can also decide on Notepad ++ . As I mentioned, the code can be written anywhere, except that some programs offer options that make your job easier.
System testing
Once you have installed everything you need to work, you need to test the system to see if everything is working properly. The check is performed in a terminal emulator (ZOC Terminal, cmder, Console…), and if you have installed the WampServer package, you can do this with its help. This is done as follows:
· Start your web browser.
· Enter in the Address field of the browser: http: // localhost /
· The result should be the opening of the following page:
· Wamp Server
Such a page in the browser means that the web server is working.
Now that you've set everything up, you can take the first steps in programming, research the problem, and try writing your first script. When you want to develop to a higher level, dedicate yourself to more detailed learning of PHP programming.
How to become a PHP programmer
PHP programming for beginners can be a great launching pad for further your IT career. It is a program that is extremely popular and guarantees a well-paid job. Given that programmers who know this language are highly sought after, many opt for freelance or part-time jobs from home . Others choose to work in IT companies, which are always short of experts.
In order to start working in this field, you must acquire some knowledge in IT. Today there are many who offer the opportunity to acquire knowledge in a very short time, but if you really want to know PHP programming, you need at least 12 months of schooling.
Such knowledge offers the PHP Web Development Program (the name of the program certainly explains more than just a PHP course). In this way you will learn more about HTML and CSS, the basics of PHP, JavaScript , but also about the design and administration of the web server.
If you want to reach international knowledge and certifications through theory, practice and challenges, then you need to learn with IT professionals. You will understand when you make your own software that everything was worth it. Then you will know that you are ready for all the challenges and a successful career as a PHP programmer.
Basic PHP terms
Before you start studying the PHP programming language in more detail, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the basic terms you will encounter while working:
· Web browser - program that communicates with the web server, and the text tagged with the help of HTML is presented in the form that corresponds to the simple display of content;
· Scripts - files that contain instructions in the PHP language and that dictate to the computer what to do;
· Breakdown - software that converts source code into a more intelligible and efficient form;
· Variables - identifier of the address in memory in which a certain value is stored, which can change during the activity;
· String - a sequence or combination of characters that contains textual values;
· Array - contains a string of data in a variable. This string contains data of the same or different types. What the variable that represents this type carries is actually the memory address at which data collection begins.
· Object - contains the object. These are data structures that contain data and functionality. Objects are a symbol of object-oriented programming and object-oriented programming languages, which also includes PHP.
· Boolean - has two possible states: true and false. Logical values are mainly used to compare conditions.
· Functions - the structure of the program that is able, based on certain parameters received or without them and based on the activity performed, to return a result;
· Loops - are used to continuously execute the same block of code, with the same set conditions. The most important are the for and while loops .
· MySQL - the most popular free system for manipulating relational SQL databases;
· HyperText Markup Language (HTML) - a language for labeling hypertexts that is used to create web pages;
· Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) - formatting language that defines the appearance of a site;
· JavaScript - object-oriented programming language used to create interactive effects in a browser;
· Web server - the place where the data of the site (or several sites) is located, offering services to internet users;
· Content management system (CMS ) - software application or a set of program files that is used to create and manage the site using a simple interface.
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