Role of PHP in Developing Modern Business Websites

• By Abhishek Jain
• 22-04-2021
• Web Development

It is near impossible for a business to stay competitive and woo the target buyers without having a solid online presence these days. Businesses hailing from any sector strive to build functional and enticing websites and apps. While there are many platforms and tools available for website development, PHP remains a strong contender. This Open-Source, server-side scripting language has millions of followers, and over the years, the number of frameworks based on the platform has grown. That explains why several top web development agencies offer PHP web development packages.

Why PHP is still relevant in making websites and apps
While a section of people say PHP is outdated, the reality is PHP, and its frameworks remain the de facto choice for thousands of web developers across the world. This is obviously, not without reason.

Listed below are the reasons why PHP is still a major force behind modern web development:
• Easy to learn- Compared to many other languages and tools used in the web development arena, PHP is easy to learn. In fact, a lot of web developers begin their journey in this sector by learning PHP. That is why finding PHP outsourcing companies or developers is also easy, anywhere.

• Low development cost- Not every business has deep pockets, and the start-ups have a limited budget. Such entities look for low cost web development services. For them, PHP is the logical choice. Since it is Open-Source and free in nature, the cost of development is not high. The same can be said about frameworks based on PHP, such as Codeigniter. The brands with limited budgets can also look for freelance PHP developers who offer services at competitive rates.

• Cross-Platform compatibility- One big advantage of PHP over other competing web development tools or platforms is its excellent cross-platform compatibility. PHP runs on major operating systems like Linux, Windows and Mac OS X, and this can be beneficial. In fact, this can be especially good for developers working in a team but from different locations, using varied setups. They would not need to change or upgrade their setups for using PHP.

• Robust online support- PHP has been in the web development scene for quite some time. Over the years, online support groups and communities have become robust. So, now, any PHP developer does not have to cope with a lack of resources or support when developing websites or apps. This is another factor that makes PHP a steadily popular web development platform. The nice thing is most of such online support can be obtained for free.

• Reduced development time- Another reason web development agencies opt for PHP development is reduced timing. Since PHP is partly object-oriented in nature, its codes can be reused. Compared to rival web development platforms, PHP development takes less time. This can be beneficial for those agencies that need to develop websites for numerous clients under tight deadlines. Using PHP-centric frameworks like Symfony and Laravel can also be ideal for saving time.

• Excellent integration- In the web development sector, relying on just one tool or framework does not cut much ice. Web developers need to use more than one platform or tool for developing stunning, functional websites. So, it is necessary to pick a tool that has very good integration with other widely used tools or online services. In this regard, PHP scores very well. It integrates well with Servers like Tornado, Microsoft IIS and Apache. It also gels well with HTML and XML, making things easier for the veteran developers.

• Fast load time- Websites made with PHP are known for fast loading and rendering. Typically, the attention span of web users is less. If they find a website is taking long to load, they shift to another site. To ensure a site loads quickly in any browser, developing it in PHP can be helpful. As PHP deploys its own memory, page loading time is fast. In fact, it is possible to embed PHP code in a site developed in HTML to make it more dynamic and faster loading.

• Stable and safe platform- A site, regardless of its type- has to be safe and stable. In this regard, PHP comes out as a winner. PHP is quite stable, and the latest version improves on the predecessors. The same thing can be said about the security level of PHP. While PHP is inherently safe against online risks, the developers can make use of extensions to boost the default security level.

• Easy to maintain- PHP-based websites are easier to maintain than those built on other platforms usually. While modifying site content or structure, the developers need to spend less time if PHP is used. This makes things better both for developers and the site owners.
Role of PHP in web development and its future prospects
Despite what the detractors of PHP might say about its future and relevance, the fact is a majority of modern websites are built using the platform or frameworks based on it. Some of the popular online services are made using PHP. Examples are online platforms like Facebook, Flickr, Wikipedia and Yahoo. So, it is quite obvious that PHP will not become obsolete in the web development arena anytime soon!

Picking the right entity for PHP development
The advantages of using PHP for making functional, secure and stable websites are undeniable. However, it is also necessary to hire a reliable and professional PHP Development Company. While choosing such a company, assessing aspects like level of expertise, client base, work samples, and service agreements is necessary.