PHP
whyWeUse PHP?
PHP is mainly used for web development, and it truly excels in this area. Though initially it was used to create dynamic web pages, developers prefer to use this scripting language for building the server side of web applications. However, PHP is originally a general-purpose language, so it may have other implementations if needed. For example, it is possible to build desktop applications using PHP. Moreover, starting from version 5, PHP supports object-oriented programming offering a whole new set of capabilities.
whatAreGoalsOfStack
Cybersecurity of the website
Any popular website has millions of users every day and all those users leave a carbon footprint of some data behind. Many even register or make a profile under the website to use their services or to receive newsletters. These details are saved with the website’s server.
If a website is attacked all this data is under risk and the hacker might even upload malware, and everybody accessing the website might get attacked. Hence it is important to make the website secure and build good security.
Thankfully PHP is one of the tools which help in building good security features. With an efficient PHP code, the developer can identify an attack and take the necessary precautions before it’s too late.
Integrate Cloud into your website
Cloud is inarguably one of the best technological innovations and has led to many breakthroughs. We have this technology readily available but incorporating technology is a huge task. One cannot simply add a few lines of code and expect things to happen.
All the sources of data and many other features have to be optimized and updated and then the cloud can be integrated. This is a professional’s job but with PHP it becomes considerably easy for a developer to pull it off.
Image processing
Sometimes the user has to upload some files for verification purposes for something else uploading these files is easy for the user but there are certain rules set by the website. The user cannot upload files that are over 2-3 MB and the size of the photo need to be under specific dimensions.
These regulations are set because it becomes harder for the developers to manage the data. If everyone sends pictures that are 5MB or 6MB each then at the database end, this adds up to thousands of Gigabytes of data storage which is hard to manage.
PHP makes this process simple by allowing cropping of images and allows a change in the format to meet the demands of the website. This image processing functions can be added to the website easily by coding in PHP.
CMS system
Websites are full of information and this content is the lifeblood for a website. The content is what makes the website stand out from other sites. This content has to be updated and new content has to be added. PHP allows developers to use word press and change content with just a few clicks. This saves a lot of time and effort.
whatIsAdvantages
Large choice of available specialists
The popularity of PHP gave rise to the numerous community of developers, a fraction of which can be potential candidates for hire. The large number of available specialists results in high competitiveness and lower demanded wages, which is beneficial for reducing development costs. Besides, this language is rather easy to learn and implement, so even junior developers are usually able to effectively realize the basic functionality of an app.
Plentiful documentation
Many tutorials, manuals, and other reference materials are available, which facilitates the development and may provide help and the source of inspiration in tough situations. These materials are also invaluable for novice programmers making the learning process easier with gradually increasing difficulty. And, as was described above, learning PHP is comparatively easy, though not as easy as learning Python, for example, which further adds to its popularity.
Improved loading speed
The use of PHP makes website pages load faster as compared to many other web development technologies. For example, currently, PHP is about three times faster than Python for most use scenarios. In its turn, lower loading time is an important SEO ranking factor that helps further promote a website by bringing competitive advantages. A higher application speed keeps customers satisfied and, in combination with other advantages, helps build and retain the client base.
Wide selection of databases
PHP allows connection to almost any type of database. The most common choice is MySQL, mainly because it is free, effective, and popular among developers. Other solid options of database management systems compatible with PHP are mSQL, MS-SQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, etc. Besides, PHP can be equally well used with ElasticSearch, Redis, MongoDB, and other non-relational databases. This way, the developers are not limited to using a particular database and may select the most optimal one for a future app, taking all relevant factors into consideration.
Inexpensive open-source software
PHP is a free-to-use technology that presents considerable savings for the development budget. Also, the majority of development tools that are usually utilized in combination with PHP are open-source software and can be used free of charge; thus, they additionally reduce the project cost. Moreover, there are numerous frameworks, such as Laravel and CodeIgniter, and various CMS, such as Wordpress and Drupal, for example, that extend the functionality of PHP and make the development process easier and more effective.
Cheaper hosting services
The most common operation scenario for a PHP website is the LAMP stack. It means that a website runs on an Apache HTTP web server deployed on a Linux system, and uses MySQL as a database. All these components are free, and the stack is well-tested, which implies the reduction of required time and funds for development.
Excellent combinability with HTML
PHP offers embedded HTML programming, which is the reason for the incredible synergy between these two technologies. In most cases, a PHP script does not interfere with the HTML code of a web page but instead completes it while remaining inside the borders defined by tags. And vice versa, if you have built a whole page on PHP, you may integrate an HTML code using a script. In this case, the difference from a traditional HTML page would be the inverted order of opening tags: the PHP tags would precede the HTML tags.
Good flexibility
Flexibility makes PHP able to effectively combine with many other programming languages so that the software product could use the most effective technology for each particular feature. Moreover, PHP is a cross-platform language, which means that developers may use any primary operating system – Windows, Linux, macOS – to perform coding. Such flexibility greatly facilitates the development process by making it faster and less expensive.
Compatibility with cloud services
Nowadays, many modern products tend to use cloud computing solutions like Amazon Web Services, for various purposes. Applications written in PHP are supported by different cloud services, such as AWS Lambda, for example. Thus, a PHP application can be deployed on a cloud server and achieve excellent scalability and other beneficial effects. Even more, the area of cloud computing is not monopolized by other coding languages, so PHP has taken its place in such implementations.