Getting Started

Getting Started#

PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a popular server-side scripting language designed specifically for web development. PHP code is executed on the server, generating HTML that is then sent to the client’s browser.

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PHP code is typically embedded within HTML and executed on the server, with only the resulting HTML being sent to the client.

Setting Up Your Environment#

Option 1: Using XAMPP#

  1. Download XAMPP from apachefriends.org

  2. Install XAMPP, which includes Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin

  3. Start the Apache and MySQL services from the XAMPP Control Panel

  4. Place your PHP files in the htdocs folder (e.g., C:xampphtdocs on Windows)

  5. Access your projects via http://localhost/your-project-folder

Option 2: Installing PHP Separately#

  1. Download PHP from php.net/downloads

  2. Follow installation instructions for your operating system

  3. Install a web server like Apache or Nginx

  4. Configure the web server to work with PHP

Your First PHP Script#

Create a file named index.php in your web server’s document root folder:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>My First PHP Page</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Hello, PHP World!</h1>

    <?php
    // This is a PHP code block
    echo "<p>The current date and time is: " . date("Y-m-d H:i:s") . "</p>";

    // Variables
    $name = "Developer";
    $age = 25;

    // Outputting variables
    echo "<p>Hello, my name is $name and I am $age years old.</p>";
    ?>
</body>
</html>

Access this file through your web browser by visiting http://localhost/index.php.

PHP Basics#

Variables#

$text = "Hello World";  // String
$number = 42;           // Integer
$float = 3.14;          // Float
$boolean = true;        // Boolean
$array = [1, 2, 3];     // Array
$null = null;           // Null value

Control Structures#

// If-else statement
if ($age >= 18) {
    echo "You are an adult.";
} else {
    echo "You are a minor.";
}

// Loops
for ($i = 1; $i <= 5; $i++) {
    echo "Number: $i <br>";
}

$colors = ["red", "green", "blue"];
foreach ($colors as $color) {
    echo "Color: $color <br>";
}

Functions#

function greet($name) {
    return "Hello, $name!";
}

echo greet("John");  // Outputs: Hello, John!

Working with Forms#

Create a form file (form.php):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>PHP Form Example</title>
</head>
<body>
    <form method="post" action="process.php">
        <label for="name">Name:</label>
        <input type="text" id="name" name="name" required><br><br>

        <label for="email">Email:</label>
        <input type="email" id="email" name="email" required><br><br>

        <input type="submit" value="Submit">
    </form>
</body>
</html>

Create a processing file (process.php):

<?php
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    $name = $_POST["name"];
    $email = $_POST["email"];

    echo "<h2>Form Submission Received</h2>";
    echo "<p>Name: " . htmlspecialchars($name) . "</p>";
    echo "<p>Email: " . htmlspecialchars($email) . "</p>";
} else {
    echo "No form data submitted.";
}
?>

Database Connection (MySQL)#

<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "root";
$password = "";
$dbname = "my_database";

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}

// Query the database
$sql = "SELECT id, name, email FROM users";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if ($result->num_rows > 0) {
    // Output data of each row
    while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
        echo "ID: " . $row["id"] . " - Name: " . $row["name"] . " - Email: " . $row["email"] . "<br>";
    }
} else {
    echo "0 results";
}

$conn->close();
?>

Next Steps#

  1. Learn about PHP arrays and array functions

  2. Explore PHP sessions and cookies for state management

  3. Study PHP object-oriented programming principles

  4. Try a PHP framework like Laravel, Symfony, or CodeIgniter

  5. Practice proper security techniques (input validation, prepared statements)

Resources#

The PHP ecosystem has evolved tremendously over the years, embracing modern development practices while maintaining its accessibility. Whether you’re building a personal blog, an e-commerce platform, or the next revolutionary web application, PHP provides the tools and flexibility to bring your vision to life.