PHP development: do you need it?

PHP is a script programming language which is actively used for developing web applications. At the moment PHP is supported by the absolute majority of hosting providers because it is a clear leader among the programming languages used for developing dynamic web sites. That’s why the a lot of companies ready to hire PHP developers in order to be able to meet the expectations of the market.

Advantages of PHP development

The main PHP advantage is its usability. It provides a programmer with tools for quick and effective solving tasks. The practical character of this language is based on five important characteristics:

  • Traditionality;
  • Simplicity;
  • Efficiency;
  • Safety;
  • Flexibility.

Another important feature of PHP is that it’s open source and freely distributed.

Traditionality

Because of the fact that some of the language constructions have been taken from Pearl and C, PHP will be easy to learn for a lot of developers. What is more, the PHP code resembles that written on Pearl or C. These factors combined simple and universal syntax lead to PHP being one of the most popular programming languages with web and software developers and at the moment.

Simplicity

PHP scenario may consist of 10000 lines of code or of just 10 lines – it all depends on the task you’re doing. You don’t need to load additional libraries, indicate special compilation parameters, etc. PHP mechanism starts compiling code after the first sign tag.

PHP is the language that can be implemented directly into html code of a page, which in their turn will be properly interpreted by PHP compiler.

Efficiency

Efficiency is one of the key factors when it comes to programming for multi-user environment, which web surely is.

The biggest advantage of PHP is in its engine. PHP engine is neither a compiler nor an interpreter. It is a translating interpreter. Such engine structure allows processing scenarios with high speed. According to some estimates, most PHP scenarios are processed faster than those written in Pearl.

Safety

PHP provides software developers and system administrators with flexible and efficient safety tools which can be divided into two categories:

  1. System level safety tools

PHP has safety mechanisms which are controlled by administrators. When properly set up, they provide maximum freedom in development and safety at the same time. PHP can also work in the so-called safe mode which restricts its use by users in some serious areas.

  1. Application level safety tools

Standard set of PHP tools includes some reliable encrypting mechanisms. PHP is also compatible with different third-party applications which make it a great tool for e-commerce. Another safety advantage is that source code of a PHP scenario can’t be viewed in a browser, because this scenario is compiled before sending on user’s request.

Flexibility

As PHP is an embedded language, it’s extremely flexible to developer’s needs. Although it is recommended to use PHP together with HTML, it’s often integrated in JavaScript, WML, XML, and other languages.

There’re also no problems with browser interpretation, because before sending, all scenarios are compiled on the server side.

Due to the fact that PHP doesn’t contain any web server oriented code, users are not restricted with any specific web server. Apache, Zeus, Microsoft IIS – PHP will work on any of these servers and even on some more. PHP is also a platform-independent language which can be used on UNIX, Solaris, Windows, etc.

Free distribution

Open source strategy has influenced the development of many projects, such as Linux or Apache. What is more, the language has a strong community of supporting enthusiasts which can help you to solve even the most difficult tasks.