PHP

In 1994, Rasmus Lerdorf created a script using Perl/CGI while working as an independent software developer. This script had two functions: tracking visitor data and displaying the number of visitors on his resume webpage. At that time, the internet was still in its early stages, and there weren’t many tools available for web development. As a result, Lerdorf received emails asking about his script, which he called Personal Home Page (PHP), however; it’s now referred to Hypertext Preprocessor.

Common usage of PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor)

Hypertext Preprocessor’s popularity can be attributed, in part, to its efficient handling of dynamic content. It lets you make web pages that change depending on what the user does or what’s in a database (e.g., MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL). For instance, upon a user’s request for a webpage, the PHP code embedded within the HyperText Markup Language (or HTML) executes on the server side.

Then, it sends the finished page to their web browser. That way, the site can do things like check if someone is logged in, make sure forms are filled out right, and talk to databases. All of this happens without the visitor even noticing!

Large community support

And besides the fact that PHP is a general-purpose open source programming language, it’s got a massive squad of developers holding it down. There are tutorials and documentation for days! You can dive into online resources and level up your PHP game in no time. Hence this symbiotic relationship within the PHP community contributes substantially to the language’s continued evolution and efficacy.