First Php Script | Introduction To Php

Introduction

PHP is a popular server-side scripting language designed for web development. It is widely used due to its simplicity and flexibility. In this tutorial, we will guide you through writing your first PHP script from start to finish.

Setting Up Your Environment

Before writing any PHP code, you need to have a server environment set up. The most common setup is using XAMPP, MAMP, or a similar package that includes Apache server, MySQL, and PHP.

Download and install one of these packages. Once installed, start the Apache server and the MySQL service.

Creating Your First PHP File

PHP files typically have a .php extension. Create a new file named index.php in your server's root directory (usually htdocs for XAMPP).

Writing PHP Code

Open index.php in a text editor and add the following code:

<?php

                echo "Hello, World!";

                ?>

This code will output the text "Hello, World!" to the browser. The <?php and ?> tags enclose PHP code. The echo statement is used to output text.

Running Your Script

Save the file and open a web browser. Navigate to http://localhost/index.php. You should see "Hello, World!" displayed on the page.

Hello, World!

Understanding the Code

Let's break down the code:

<?php: This tag starts a block of PHP code.
echo "Hello, World!";: This statement outputs the text "Hello, World!" to the browser.
?>: This tag ends the block of PHP code.

Adding Comments

Comments are used to explain code and are ignored by the PHP interpreter. There are two types of comments in PHP:

Single-line comments: // This is a comment
Multi-line comments: /* This is a comment */

Example:

<?php

                // This is a single-line comment

                /*

                This is a

                multi-line comment

                */

                echo "Hello, World!";

                ?>

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have written and run your first PHP script. This is just the beginning of your journey into PHP development. As you continue learning, you will discover how to build dynamic and interactive web applications using PHP.

Writing Your First PHP Script