PHP
PHP is a server-side scripting language for creating dynamic web pages. Rather than a hard coded HTML document that is downloaded and interoperated by a web browser, PHP is processed on a web server in order to produce the content that is then sent to a web browser.
What this means is that PHP is able to offer content that changes based from session to session depending on exactly how different users and different computers interact with a web server. If you have ever used a website that permitted you to search for content or even allowed you to click through a few options to display different information without going to a different page then you may have used a site coded using PHP without even realizing it.
PHP works in much the same way as ASP but is more widely supported due to its ability to function in both Windows and Linux hosting environments. PHP also differs from ASP in that its coding more closely resembles C++ where as ASP coding is most comparable to Visual Basic.
PHP is an open source product meaning that all the core coding operations that are used by PHP are available to the public. The main advantage of open source products is that due to their nature they will attract a large community of people ready and willing to discuss all aspects of PHP and as such tutorials, guides, and help forums are widely available across the Internet.
Due to its open source nature PHP is a free product that is available to anyone. One of the primary reasons PHP is so widely supported by both Linux and Windows is due to the fact that it can be offered at no additional cost. PHP also interacts extremely well with MySQL, which is also a free product that is widely supported and available.
The main advantage of using PHP however is that its range of functions is virtually limitless. It can be used to collect data, deliver cookies, generate dynamic page content, and much more. PHP has the ability to not only output HTML but PDF and even Flash movies.
When you consider using some type of dynamic coding like PHP you should be aware that your options for creating a website are almost limitless. It is important to remember however that learning a new programming language is not easy and it will require a lot of time investment in order to learn. With the power of dynamic coding your website can become anything from a powerful tool useful to your customers to a fun and interactive site for just a few friends and family.
A lot of free resources are available on the Internet if you are interested in learning PHP but you my ultimately have better luck if you visit a bookstore. Your local library may have something available as well but you should be aware that a library might carry an old or outdated version of a book that doesn't cover the most recent scripting updates. The best resource to use if you get stuck will always be a message board of some sort but be sure your questions are clear and concise as possible.