Introduction:
PHP is a server-side scripting language widely used for web development. The first step for learning any programming language is often printing “Hello, World!” This simple task helps ensure that the programming environment is set up correctly and that the basic syntax is understood.
Below, we will go through the steps to print “Hello, World!” in PHP along with a sample code and explanation.
Steps Involved:
- Set Up PHP Environment:
- To run PHP code, you need a web server like Apache (part of XAMPP, WAMP, or LAMP).
- Ensure PHP is installed and running on your local machine or web server.
- Create a PHP File:
- Open a text editor (such as VS Code, Sublime, or Notepad++) and create a new file.
- Save the file with a
.php
extension (e.g.,helloworld.php
).
- Write the PHP Code:
- Begin the file with
<?php
to tell the server that this is a PHP script. - Use the
echo
statement to output text. - End the script with
?>
(optional, but good practice in simple files).
- Begin the file with
- Run the PHP Script:
- Move the
.php
file to the web server’s root directory (e.g.,htdocs
for XAMPP). - Open a browser and type
localhost/helloworld.php
to run the script.
- Move the
PHP Code Example:
<?php
// Print Hello World in PHP
echo "Hello, World!";
?>
PHPxplanation of the Code:
<?php
: This is the opening tag of PHP. It tells the server that the code following this is PHP.echo
"Hello, World!";
: Theecho
statement is used to output text or variables in PHP. In this case, it outputs the string “Hello, World!”.;
(semicolon): Every PHP statement ends with a semicolon, which signifies the end of that particular instruction.?>
: This is the optional closing tag of PHP, indicating the end of the PHP code.
Output
Hello, World!
PHPExplanation:
- Execution Context:
- The PHP code is processed on the server. When you access the PHP file through your web server (e.g., by navigating to
localhost/helloworld.php
), the server interprets the PHP code.
- The PHP code is processed on the server. When you access the PHP file through your web server (e.g., by navigating to
- PHP Processing:
- The server reads the file and sees the PHP opening tag
<?php
, which indicates the start of PHP code. - It encounters the
echo
statement, which is used to output text to the browser.
- The server reads the file and sees the PHP opening tag
- Output Generation:
- The
echo "Hello, World!";
line sends the stringHello, World!
to the browser. - The semicolon
;
at the end of the statement signifies the end of theecho
instruction.
- The
- Rendering in Browser:
- The browser displays the output directly on the web page, showing
Hello, World!
as plain text.
- The browser displays the output directly on the web page, showing
In summary, the code outputs Hello, World!
to the browser by executing the echo
statement in the PHP script, and this is exactly what you see when you visit the PHP file on your local server.
Conclusion:
By following the above steps, you can successfully create and run a PHP program to print “Hello, World!” This program demonstrates the basic syntax and structure of PHP, which you can build upon to create more complex scripts.
Visit the PHP official website to learn more about PHP.
Check out W3Schools PHP tutorial for additional resources.