What is PHP? Intro to PHP & the Difference Between PHP and HTML

It is essential to know programming to develop websites and applications, but there are many programming languages you can use to achieve this. As new languages keep developing, beginners looking into learning programming for the first time are sometimes lost as to which language they should learn.

There are several programming languages for beginners, but "PHP" is the programming language we recommend specifically as a beginner language. PHP grammar is simple to understand, you can use it quite easily in combination with HTML. Let us look at the differences between PHP and HTML.

The IT Industry Guide is a collection of articles and resources by Internet Academy, Japan's first learning institute specialising in the Web. Here, we introduce you to industry insights in an easy-to-understand manner.

Table of contents

What is PHP?

PHP stands for "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor" and it is a programming language suitable for dynamic content creation. For example, PHP is often used to create dynamic content on blogs, in many cases. It is common for blogs to display newly arrived articles at the top of a page as a list. Using PHP, it is possible to make sure it is done automatically.

The reason why PHP is usually recommended to programming beginners is that the grammar is also easy to understand. Once you learn the basic grammar, you can write a simple program right away.

With repeated practice, programming skills tend to naturally evolve. In the case of a language that takes time to master, there is a possibility that you may be frustrated sometimes, but this should not be much of a concern with PHP.

Also, it is one of the defining features of PHP that it can be used in combination with HTML. HTML is similar in structure to PHP, but it can not make dynamic content. Therefore, studying HTML alone will not allow you to dynamically update articles or reflect comments, like on blogs, and the function of the website may be restricted.

What you can do with PHP

If you can master PHP, you will be able to do various things such as developing an inquiry form.

You will be able to create a flow of accepting user information and displaying a success message at the end.

You can also make a "shopping cart" on an e-commerce site, etc. using PHP. It is also possible to implement a counter and automatically calculate how many items are being selected, as well as its price.

A system that can easily create and manage web content is called a "CMS (Content Management System)". "WordPress" is a famous CMS that uses PHP and MySQL (database). If you would like to build a website using WordPress, you should learn PHP, along with HTML and CSS.

Portfolio production

A portfolio is a collection of work that showcases your talent.

A portfolio is essential in order to highlight your design skills to clients and get a job opportunity.

For a portfolio profile that fulfills the role of a resume, let's introduce you and your career as basic information, along with any qualifications and awards you may be honoured with. It is better to include such things as the names of websites, a description of the concept, an image illustrating the result, and details about your role in the project.

Throughout the portfolio site, please be aware that the structure of the website can represent techniques you are good at, such as color scheme, layout design, code, etc.

In conclusion

As mentioned at the beginning, PHP is a programming language that is easier for beginners to learn, but mastering one language firmly is not easy. Learning may be more fun if there is an environment where you can ask questions and receive expert support. If you would like to experience a classroom in session at Internet Academy, please do not hesitate to contact us for a free trial lesson.