| Chances are that if you've been around the | | | | |
| Internet long enough, you've heard of | | | | In addition to its scalability and speed, |
| server-side scripting languages such as PERL, | | | | another usability factor that sets PHP apart |
| ASP and ColdFusion. These are all popular | | | | is its ease of use. The PHP language is |
| languages that are used to add interactivity | | | | considered to be a mix between C and PERL, |
| to Web sites, but one stands out from the | | | | and it draws from the best features of each |
| crowd in terms of usability, power, and, yes, | | | | parent language, while adding unique features |
| price: the PHP scripting language. Initially | | | | of its own. For example, PHP code can be |
| developed in 1995 by North Carolina | | | | embedded within standard HTML documents |
| programmer Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP has since | | | | without using additional print statements or |
| blossomed into one of the leading | | | | calling separate scripts to perform the |
| open-source, cross-platform scripting | | | | processing tasks. In practice, this allows |
| languages available. This is due, in large | | | | for very flexible programming practices. |
| part, to the worldwide community of coders | | | | Although a working knowledge of HTML is a |
| that contributes to its development. Unlike | | | | prerequisite for PHP development, PHP's basic |
| proprietary scripting languages like ASP and | | | | functions can be learned quickly and applied |
| ColdFusion, PHP's source code is freely | | | | to a wide range of common Webmaster-related |
| available for peer review and contributions. | | | | projects, such as order forms, e-mail |
| This is, of course, the essence of | | | | responses, and interactive Web pages. |
| open-source software development, but why is | | | | |
| it that PHP in particular has gained such | | | | Contributing to the power of the PHP |
| popularity among Web developers when there | | | | language, is its native support for leading |
| are other open-source alternatives, such as | | | | relational database platforms, including |
| good old-fashioned PERL CGI scripts? | | | | MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL. |
| | | | Platform-specific functions are built into |
| One very strong reason is that PHP, unlike | | | | the language for 12 databases in all. This |
| PERL CGI scripts, is scalable and fast. | | | | native support for database platforms is a |
| Instead of requiring the server to start a | | | | boon to any site that needs to track user |
| new process in the operating system's kernel | | | | information, store product data, or collect |
| for each new request, which uses both CPU | | | | sales information. |
| time and memory, PHP can run as a part of the | | | | |
| Web server itself, which saves a considerable | | | | Last but not least, because PHP is |
| amount of processing time when dealing with | | | | open-source, it is essentially free to use. |
| multiple requests. This decreased processing | | | | Almost all professional Unix-based Web hosts |
| time means that PHP can be used for | | | | offer PHP as an included option with hosting |
| high-traffic sites that cannot afford to have | | | | accounts. Be sure to check with your host to |
| their performance hampered by relatively slow | | | | see if it is available to you. |
| CGI scripts. | | | | |