Unit 1

1.1 History and Advantages of PHP,, Syntax of PHP.

History and Advantages of PHP

History of PHP

PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) was created in 1994 by Rasmus Lerdorf. Initially, it was a set of Common Gateway
Interface (CGI) scripts for tracking visits to his online resume. Over time, it evolved into a full-fledged scripting
language. The language underwent several iterations, with PHP 5 introducing object-oriented programming, and
later versions adding performance improvements and new features.

Advantages of PHP

1. Open Source: PHP is free to use and has a large, active community.

2. Cross-Platform: PHP works on various operating systems like Windows, Linux, and macOS.

3. Ease of Use: PHP has a simple syntax similar to C, making it easy to learn.

4. Integration: PHP integrates seamlessly with databases like MySQL, and web servers like Apache.

5. Wide Adoption: Many popular platforms like WordPress and Magento are built on PHP.

6. Flexibility: Supports various protocols (HTTP, FTP, etc.) and APIs.

Syntax of PHP

PHP syntax is straightforward, and every PHP script starts with <?php and ends with ?>. Statements in PHP end
with a semicolon ;. PHP is embedded within HTML, allowing dynamic content generation.

Basic Example:

<?php

// This is a single-line comment

/*

This is a multi-line comment

explaining the code below.

*/

// Declaring variables

$name = "Alice";

$age = 25;

// Printing output

echo "Name: $name, Age: $age"; // Outputs: Name: Alice, Age: 25

?>
1.2 Variables, Data types, Expressions and operators, constants
1. Variables
Variables in PHP are used to store data and must start with a $ symbol. They can contain letters, numbers, and
underscores but must not start with a number.
Syntax:
$variable_name = value;
Example:
<?php
$name = "John"; // String
$age = 25; // Integer
$height = 5.9; // Float
$isStudent = true; // Boolean
echo "Name: $name, Age: $age, Height: $height, Is Student: $isStudent";
?>

2. Data Types
PHP supports the following data types:
1. String: Sequence of characters enclosed in quotes.
2. Integer: Whole numbers.
3. Float: Decimal numbers.
4. Boolean: true or false.
5. Array: Collection of values.
6. Object: Instance of a class.
7. Null: Special data type with no value.
Example:
<?php
$greeting = "Hello, PHP!";
$year = 2024;
$temperature = 36.5;
$isRaining = false;
$colors = ["Red", "Green", "Blue"];
$unknown = null;
echo $greeting;
?>
3. Expressions
Expressions in PHP are combinations of variables, values, and operators that produce a result.
Example:
<?php
$x = 10;
$y = 20;
$result = $x + $y; // Expression: $x + $y
echo "Result: $result"; // Outputs: Result: 30
?>

4. Operators
Operators are used to perform operations on variables and values.
Types of Operators:
1. Arithmetic Operators: +, -, *, /, %
2. Assignment Operators: =, +=, -=, *=, /=
3. Comparison Operators: ==, !=, <, >, <=, >=
4. Logical Operators: &&, ||, !
5. String Operators: . (concatenation), .= (concatenation assignment)
Example:
<?php
$a = 15;
$b = 5;
$sum = $a + $b;
echo "Sum: $sum"; // Outputs: 20
$isEqual = ($a == $b);
echo "Equal: $isEqual"; // Outputs:
$isBothTrue = ($a > 10 && $b < 10);
echo "Both Conditions Met: $isBothTrue"; // Outputs: 1 (true)
?>
5. Constants
Constants are like variables, but once defined, their value cannot be changed. Use the define() function or const
keyword.
Syntax:
define("CONSTANT_NAME", value);
Example:
<?php
define("PI", 3.14);
define("GREETING", "Welcome to PHP");
echo "Value of PI: " . PI; // Outputs: 3.14
echo "Message: " . GREETING; // Outputs: Welcome to PHP
?>

Summary of Key Points:

• Variables store data and are mutable.
• Data types include strings, integers, floats, booleans, arrays, etc.
• Expressions evaluate values using variables and operators.
• Operators include arithmetic, comparison, logical, and string.
• Constants store immutable values.
This structured explanation should provide a solid foundation for understanding PHP basics.
1.3 Decision making Control statements - if, if-else, nested if, switch, break and continue statement.
1. if Statement
The if statement evaluates a condition and executes the code block if the condition is true.
Syntax:
if (condition) {
// Code to execute if condition is true
}
Example:
<?php
$age = 20;
if ($age >= 18) {
echo "You are eligible to vote.";
}
?>

2. if-else Statement
The if-else statement provides an alternative block of code to execute if the condition is false.
Syntax:
if (condition) {
// Code if condition is true
} else {
// Code if condition is false
}
Example:
<?php
$marks = 75;
if ($marks >= 50) {
echo "You passed the exam.";
} else {
echo "You failed the exam.";
}
?>
3. Nested if Statement
A nested if is an if statement inside another if statement, allowing multiple levels of conditions.
Syntax:
if (condition1) {
if (condition2) {
// Code if both conditions are true
}}
Example:
<?php
$age = 25;
$hasID = true;
if ($age >= 18) {
if ($hasID) {
echo "You can enter the club.";
} else {
echo "You need an ID to enter.";
}
} else {
echo "You are too young to enter.";
}?>

4. break Statement
The break statement terminates the current loop or switch case.
Example:
<?php
for ($i = 1; $i <= 10; $i++) {
if ($i == 5) {
break; // Stops the loop when $i equals 5
}
echo $i . " ";
}
?>
5. switch Statement
The switch statement evaluates an expression and matches it to one of several cases.
Syntax:
switch (expression) {
case value1:
// Code for case 1
break;
case value2:
// Code for case 2
break;
default:
// Code if no case matches
}
Example:
<?php
$day = "Monday";

switch ($day) {
case "Monday":
echo "Start of the work week.";
break;
case "Friday":
echo "End of the work week.";
break;
case "Saturday":
case "Sunday":
echo "It's the weekend!";
break;
default:
echo "Invalid day.";
}
?>
6. continue Statement
The continue statement skips the current iteration of a loop and moves to the next one.
Example:
<?php
for ($i = 1; $i <= 10; $i++) {
if ($i % 2 == 0) {
continue; // Skips even numbers
}
echo $i . " ";
}
?>

Key Differences Between break and continue:

Aspect break continue

Effect Terminates the loop or switch immediately Skips to the next iteration of the loop

Use Case Exit from loops or switch cases entirely Skip specific iterations in loops

Summary
• if, if-else, and nested if allow conditional execution of code.
• switch simplifies decision-making with multiple cases.
• break exits loops or switch cases prematurely.
• continue skips specific iterations in loops without terminating them.
These statements form the backbone of decision-making in PHP programs.
1.4 Loop control structures-while, while, for and foreach
1. while Loop
The while loop executes a block of code as long as the specified condition is true.
Syntax:
while (condition) {
// Code to be executed
}
Example:
<?php
$i = 1;
while ($i <= 5) {
echo "Count: $i<br>";
$i++;
}?>
Output:
Count: 1
Count: 2
Count: 3
Count: 4
Count: 5
2. do-while Loop
The do-while loop executes the code block at least once, then repeats the loop as long as the condition is true.
Syntax:
do {
// Code to be executed
} while (condition);
Example:
<?php
$i = 1;
do {
echo "Count: $i<br>";
$i++;
} while ($i <= 5);
?>
3. for Loop
The for loop is used when the number of iterations is known. It contains an initializer, a condition, and an
increment/decrement in a single line.
Syntax: for (initializer; condition; increment/decrement) {
// Code to be executed}
Example:
<?php
for ($i = 1; $i <= 5; $i++) {
echo "Count: $i<br>";
}?>
Output:
Count: 1
Count: 2
Count: 3
Count: 4
Count: 5

4. foreach Loop
The foreach loop is specifically designed for iterating through arrays. It operates on each element of an array
without needing an index.
Syntax:
foreach ($array as $value) {
// Code to be executed
}
Example (Simple Array): Example (Associative Array):
<?php <?php
$fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Cherry"]; $student = ["Name" => "John", "Age" => 20,
"Grade" => "A"];
foreach ($fruits as $fruit) {
foreach ($student as $key => $value) {
echo "Fruit: $fruit<br>";
echo "$key: $value<br>";
}?>
}?>
Output:
Output:
Fruit: Apple
Name: John
Fruit: Banana
Age: 20
Fruit: Cherry
Grade: A
Key Differences Between Loops

Loop Type Use Case Executes at Least Once?

while Use when the number of iterations is not predetermined. No

do-while Use when the block must execute at least once. Yes

for Use when the number of iterations is known. No

foreach Use specifically for iterating over arrays. No

Summary
1. while: Repeats as long as the condition is true.
2. do-while: Executes once, then checks the condition.
3. for: Suitable for loops with a defined number of iterations.
4. foreach: Ideal for traversing arrays effortlessly.
By selecting the appropriate loop structure, you can write efficient and readable PHP code.