PHP Hosting: Everything you need to know

PHP is among the most popular web programming languages out there right now, so it’s no surprise that PHP Hosting has become equally popular. If you’re new to the world of web hosting, however, understanding exactly what this option entails can be difficult at best. However, as with any type of web hosting, there are several things you need to consider before making your final decision on which hosting option to choose and go with.

What is PHP?

PHP is a free programming language created in 1994 by Rasmus Lerdorf. It is often used with HTML to build website functions and applications. When someone visits your PHP-built website, their browser requests the page. Since browsers only read HTML, not PHP, your web server converts PHP code into an HTML page for the browser to display.

What is PHP Hosting?

PHP hosting is a specialized web hosting service designed to support websites and applications built using the PHP programming language. PHP is a popular server-side scripting language commonly used in web development, as it is both versatile and easy to learn.

This type of hosting allows web developers to rent server space to store and execute their PHP files, making their websites or applications accessible to users on various devices, including laptops, iPhones, Android smartphones, and iPads.

The importance of PHP hosting in web development cannot be overstated. It is particularly advantageous for businesses and developers looking to create dynamic websites or applications with user interactivity and database integration. What sets PHP hosting apart from other types of web hosting is its inherent support for the PHP language.

Benefits of PHP Hosting

If your website is built with PHP and your web host supports it, then your site will receive a host of benefits you won’t be able to get with other environments. Below we highlight some of the most common benefits of PHP hosting.

• PHP is compatible – PHP is a universal scripting language, which means that websites created with PHP are going to be compatible with almost every new device, including iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. The ability to generate sites that look good on every screen size is now a requirement for most modern websites.
• PHP can be cheaper – Since PHP is a free, open-source, scripting language the hosting costs in a PHP hosting environment are generally less than other commercial language hosting environments.
• PHP is simple to use – Most developers prefer to work with PHP. It integrates easily with HTML and CSS, without needing any additional plugins or software to make it work. Plus, it’s a must-have if your site runs on a popular CMS like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal.
• PHP is incredibly fast – PHP is very light on server resources. This means that your site will perform much faster and won’t put a strain on loading times or overall site performance. When your site consumes a ton of server resources just to load a page this will not only increase hosting costs, but it will diminish your overall user experience.
• PHP easily integrates with databases – The real power of PHP comes in its integration with databases like MySQL. However, since PHP is so versatile there are other database integration options as well. This is a core requirement for most CMS, blogs, online stores, and forums.

Drawbacks of PHP Hosting

• Learning time – PHP frameworks are fairly simple but require time to learn. Knowing these frameworks is necessary, though deep PHP coding skills are not essential.
• Too complex for small sites – PHP frameworks are feature-rich and ideal for large websites. They may be excessive for small blogs or eCommerce stores.
• Limited debugging tools – PHP has fewer debugging options than other platforms, making error detection less efficient. However, common bugs are well-documented online, and with experience, you’ll quickly identify and solve frequent issues.

Do you need to know PHP to use WordPress?

No, you don’t need to know PHP to use WordPress. As WordPress is an open-source CMS and anybody may make a plugin or a theme for it, PHP might be useful. Free and accessible to everybody, PHP’s comprehensive online community documentation covers every aspect of the web programming language and its applications.

Do you need PHP Hosting?

PHP hosting is necessary for websites that are built using the PHP framework. You should go for PHP hosting without any worry if you run on WordPress. You also need to be careful while choosing a PHP hosting provider and make your choice judicious after considering all the factors and what their PHP supports.