What is PHP?

PHP or Hypertext Preprocessor is an open-source, server side scripting language used for websites and online applications. A PHP interpreter is installed on a server so that when a website is built using PHP the server can read this PHP as instructions and translate these into the website you see.

PHP is known as a server side scripting language which means all the code is processed before it reaches your computer. The server where the website files are stored processes the PHP and output is generated which is then sent to your computer/web browser.

PHP allows for complex instructions to be processed on the server in a secure manner. This could include access a database or storing login credentials within the code. If a website is developed using PHP a user cannot see or read any of the PHP code because it is processed on the server before the output is sent to the user. The output of the PHP code is usually HTML/CSS pages that are read and understood by your web browser.

Because PHP can execute complex instructions including querying a database and sending log in requests to a server in a secure manner it is an ideal language for the development of Content Management Systems (CMS) such as WordPress.

Netregistry provides Business web hosting solutions that include support for PHP and other scripting languages.