View PHP Files Online

About PHP Files

A .php file is a text file that stores PHP code, a popular server-side scripting language web developers use to create dynamic and interactive websites and web applications. It typically contains a mix of PHP code, HTML, CSS, and may include JavaScript. When a user requests a PHP-based webpage, the server processes the PHP code to generate and serve the final HTML output to the web browser. This dynamic processing allows developers to create features like form handling, database interactions, and user authentication.

Rasmus Lerdorf initially developed PHP in 1994 to track visits to a resume he posted online, which he then released in 1995 as "Personal Home Page Tools" to the public. Over time, the programming language evolved, eventually renamed "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor," becoming one of the most popular languages for web development. Examples of its usage include the development of e-commerce platforms, forums, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and content management systems (CMSes) like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. Today, a global community of developers known as the "PHP Group" maintains PHP.

When viewing and modifying .php files, developers typically use code editors and integrated development environments (IDEs) that provide helpful features like syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and integration with version control systems. Developers may also use simple text editors to open and edit .php files, but they do not provide the helpful features that source code and IDEs offer.