Before we get into learning how to use PHP, we need to briefly explore what PHP is...but I’m not going to go into some long drawn out history of PHP and why it’s here. Also, it is good to be familiar with HTML before you proceed, as you will need to be able to copy and paste code in web pages.
In the world of the wide web, there are two general types of coding languages: “Server side” and “Client side”. This means that one type is run, or interpreted, on the web server itself, and the other is run in your web browser. PHP is a Server side language. All of the processing is done on the web server itself, and the result is delivered to your web browser as HTML (which, by the way, is a Client side language). Your web server must also have PHP installed in order for it to work! Most web hosting providers have PHP installed, so if you are in doubt, simply ask them.
