Introduction to PHP
The language that still runs much of the web.
What PHP is, why it matters, and how to navigate this track.
PHP still runs a huge slice of the web — from WordPress to Wikipedia — and modern PHP is fast and pleasant.
What is PHP?
PHP is a server-side scripting language built specifically for the web, embedded directly alongside HTML.
Today’s PHP (8+) is strongly typed where you want it, JIT-compiled, and backed by frameworks like Laravel.
Your first example
Here is PHP saying hello. Read it top to bottom — every line earns its place.
<?php
echo "Hello, world!";Hello, world!
Why learn PHP?
- It powers a majority of the world’s websites, including WordPress.
- Trivial to deploy — every shared host runs it.
- Modern frameworks (Laravel, Symfony) make it productive and clean.
Where it is used
- Websites & CMSs
- Web APIs
- WordPress development
- Server-side rendering
How this track works
Every topic here has four views, switchable with the tabs at the top of each page:
- Learn — the clear, practical walkthrough you are reading now.
- Deep — every detail: edge cases, the full API, and what is really happening.
- Reference — a scannable, no-fluff lookup for when you already know the shape.
- Cheatsheet — the one-page summary, printable, for quick recall.
More like this
HTML Headings
h1 through h6 are the page’s table of contents. Use them for structure, never for size — that’s what CSS is for.
HTML Headings
h1–h6 are instances of HTMLHeadingElement. They take no special attributes — only the global set and ARIA — but there’s real depth in how they form the document outline and what you can do with them from JavaScript.
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