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An Intro to Building Dynamic Sites With PHP

August 3, 2001

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What is PHP?

PHP stands for “Hypertext Preprocessor”. It’s a server-side scripting language. Especially popular for dynamic websites and apps.

Why Choose PHP for Dynamic Sites?

Open-Source: It’s free and widely used.
Flexibility: Seamlessly integrates with various databases.
Community: A large, supportive community offers extensive resources.

Setting Up PHP

Before diving in, you need a local environment.

Step 1: Install a Web Server

Choose a software like XAMPP or MAMP. This software aids in local PHP development.

Step 2: Test Your Server

Once installed, write this in a .php file:

<?php
echo "Hello, World!";
?>

Navigate to http://localhost/yourfile.php. If you see “Hello, World!”, it’s working.

Crafting a Dynamic Page

Connect to a Database

Databases store site data. Here’s how you connect with MySQL using PHP:

<?php
$servername = "localhost";
$username = "username";
$password = "password";
$dbname = "myDB";

// Create connection
$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);

// Check connection
if ($conn->connect_error) {
    die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
}
echo "Connected successfully";
?>

Fetch Data Dynamically

Pull data using SQL queries:

$sql = "SELECT id, name FROM users";
$result = $conn->query($sql);

if ($result->num_rows > 0) {
    while($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
        echo "ID: " . $row["id"]. " - Name: " . $row["name"]. "<br>";
    }
} else {
    echo "0 results";
}

Making Your Site Interactive

Leverage PHP’s power to:

Process Forms

Gather user input from forms:

<form method="post" action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];?>">
  Name: <input type="text" name="fname">
  <input type="submit">
</form>

<?php
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    $name = $_POST['fname'];
    echo "Hello, $name!";
}
?>

Use Sessions for Personalization

Sessions store user data between visits:

<?php
session_start();

if (!isset($_SESSION["visits"])) {
    $_SESSION["visits"] = 0;
}

$_SESSION["visits"]++;

echo "You've visited this site " . $_SESSION["visits"] . " times.";
?>

Building dynamic sites with PHP is empowering. From databases to user interactivity, PHP offers robust solutions. Dive deeper, explore, and create.

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