đ PHP – The Web’s Workhorse
When people talk about modern web development, they throw around names like Node.js, Python, or Go—and that’s fair. But here’s a truth bomb: PHP is still everywhere. In fact, over 75% of websites still run on it, including WordPress, Facebook (historically Hack, a PHP dialect), and Wikipedia.
This is our first dive into PHP here on the blog, and it’s long overdue. Whether you're a backend developer, DevOps engineer, or even just PHP-curious, this post is for you.
đ§ What Is PHP, Really?
PHP is a server-side scripting language designed for the web. It was created in the mid-90s, and while it’s been around for decades, it’s far from outdated. PHP has evolved through several versions, and PHP 8+ is a modern, fast, and feature-rich language that supports:
Strong object-oriented programming
Typed properties and functions
JIT (Just-In-Time) compilation
Asynchronous programming (via libraries like Swoole or ReactPHP)
đ„ So… Why Does PHP Get a Bad Rap?
Because early PHP was too easy to write badly.
Back in the 2000s, PHP gained a reputation for being “messy” because of how easy it was to slap together code directly inside HTML. That’s changed. Modern PHP code uses clean MVC architecture, modern frameworks like Laravel or Symfony, package managers like Composer, and even follows SOLID principles.
đĄ Why PHP Still Matters in 2025
Massive install base: WordPress alone powers 40%+ of websites.
Affordable and ubiquitous hosting: Almost any hosting provider supports PHP out of the box.
Huge ecosystem: Tools, plugins, CMSs, and frameworks abound.
Easy to deploy and scale: Especially for small- to mid-sized web apps.
Active development: PHP is under active, modern development with strong community input.
đ ️ What Can You Do With PHP?
Build blogs, portfolios, eCommerce sites
Power REST APIs and microservices (with Laravel or Slim)
Create enterprise-scale apps with Symfony
Customize WordPress, Drupal, Magento, Joomla
Write CLI tools and scripts (yes, PHP works from the command line too!)
đ§Ș First Taste: PHP Hello World
Here's the classic:
<?php
echo "Hello, world!";
Save that in a file called index.php, drop it into a server like XAMPP, WAMP, or MAMP, and visit localhost/index.php.
✨ Modern PHP with Laravel
If you want to write clean, expressive backend code in PHP, Laravel is the go-to framework:
Route::get('/hello', function () {
return 'Hello from Laravel!';
});
Laravel gives you:
Built-in routing and controllers
ORM via Eloquent
Blade templating
Middleware and authentication scaffolding
Artisan CLI for automation
It’s no exaggeration to say Laravel helped modernize PHP’s image in the developer world.
PHP might not be the shiny new toy—but it’s not going anywhere. It’s mature, battle-tested, and evolving. If you’ve written PHP before, 2025 is a great time to revisit it. If you never have, it’s one of the most practical skills you can pick up as a web developer.
Whether you’re interested in scaling a Laravel app, customizing a WordPress theme, or building a RESTful API, PHP has the tools—and the community—to support you.
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