The practical applications of PHP stems from its very provocative feature, flexibility and versatility. PHP is one of the most convenient web programming languages to work with. The meta language of PHP is also quite useful for developers.
Typical Use of PHP
A very typical use of PHP is to run websites. However, practical applications of PHP also extend towards Windows, macOS, and Linux. Just install a Docker and run a container, after which you’re good to use PHP.
Web Pages and Web-Based Applications
PHP for a web page or web application is one of the most common practical applications. Web applications need to offer high levels of customization, a very interactive user interface and should be able to perform online transactions and integrate with database systems. It has a three-tiered architecture that works in a linear fashion on browser, server, and database systems. This explains why more than 82% of websites use PHP for server-side programming. Numerous web-based applications and Facebook apps are scripted in PHP too.
Developers can manipulate the coding to reuse it in other applications too. Built-in mechanisms like support for user authentication, SQL query builder, CSRF protection, and routing make PHP one of the most in-demand programming languages. Besides being an open-source platform with free licensing, PHP enjoys high popularity among quickly and efficiently. Popular ecommerce platforms like Magento, OpenCart, Zen Cart, PrestaShop, AgoraCart, and Ubercart are all practical applications of PHP.
Web Content Management Systems
Practical applications of PHP are so wide because it supports various databases like Oracle, MySQL, and MS Access. Also, many PHP frameworks offer templates, libraries through which developers can manage and manipulate the content of a website. Thus, PHP is used to create small static websites as well as large content-based sites. Some of the best Web Content Management Systems (CMS) managed by PHP are WordPress and its plugins, user interface of Drupal, Joomla, Facebook, MediaWiki, Silverstripe, and Digg, among others.
E-commerce Applications
Irrespective of how small or big a business is, online selling is an indispensable part of any venture today. Practical applications of PHP extends to this necessity also because of PHP frameworks like CakePHP and CodeIgniter helps create ecommerce applications quickly and efficiently. Popular ecommerce platforms like Magento, OpenCart, Zen Cart, PrestaShop, AgoraCart, and Ubercart are all practical applications of PHP.