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Introduction to PHP

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open-source scripting language that is especially suited for web development. It can be embedded into HTML and is commonly used to create dynamic web pages. PHP is server-side, meaning that it runs on the server, generating HTML which is then sent to the client's browser.

PHP offers a range of features, including:

  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Support for various databases
  • Extensive community support and documentation
  • Integration with various web frameworks

Key Features of PHP

  • Easy to Learn: PHP has a simple syntax that is easy for beginners to grasp.
  • Open Source: PHP is free to use and has a large community contributing to its development.
  • Flexible: PHP can be used for a wide range of applications, from simple scripts to complex web applications.
  • Robust Security: PHP offers features to help protect against common security threats.

Getting Started with PHP

To start using PHP, you need to have a server environment set up. You can use software like XAMPP, WAMP, or MAMP to create a local server on your machine. Once set up, you can create PHP files with the .php extension and run them on your server.

Example

// Hello World in PHP
echo 'Hello, World!';

Output:

Hello, World!

Explanation: This simple PHP script outputs the text Hello, World! to the web page. It demonstrates the basic syntax of PHP.

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