PHP is a programming language used to create web sites. Abbreviation from PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (the initials actually come from an earlier version of the program, called Personal Home Page Tools). It is an open-source, reflective web programming language (the ability of a program to observe and modify its structure and behavior) used mainly for server-side application development (Scripting server-side: web server technology in which user requirements are met by running a script directly on the web server to create dynamic HTML pages. It is usually used to create dynamic web sites (interfacing with databases) and dynamic web content.

Famous examples of using this language are PhpBB (forum), PhpNuke (CMS), and even MediaWiki, the software behind Wikipedia. Using PHP can be seen as a free alternative to using commercial languages such as ASP from Microsoft, ColdFusion from Macromedia, or even JSP from Sun Microsystems, even if it doesn't rise above them.

The main feature of the language is that it allows interaction with a large number of relational database management systems, such as: MySql, Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite. Php is compatible with most operating systems, including: Unix, Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X and can interact with most web servers.

Short story:

Php was originally created as a minor set of Perl scripts. The Personal Home Page Tools was released in 1995. Zeev Suraski and Andi Gutmans, two developers at the Israel Institute of Technology rewrote the parser in 1997 and formed the basis for PHP 3, changing the language name into the acronym PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor . The official launch for PHP 3 was in June 1998. Suraski and Gutmans started a new rewrite of the php language base, producing Zend engine in 1999. In May 2000, PHP 4.0 was launched, based on Zend Engine 1.0. On July 13, 2004 was launched PHP 5, with Zend Engine II, which also brought an object orientation, more pronounced and supporting more features of this type of programming.

The latest PHP version is version 7.3 (January 2020).