We live in a world where we are slowly witnessing the new online norm without even being aware of it. From making payments to planning for a tour, everything can be done online and be done better. A major part of it is the web applications. Website applications are not a new thing anymore. With the continual development of website applications, we are going forward to a world where online will be the norm.
Speaking of which, PHP backend developers are the ones who are driving this force. They play a key role in the development of engaging and dynamic web applications. As integral development team members, PHP backend developers carry a distinct skill that allows them to develop scalable and robust backend systems utilizing the PHP programming language. To this day, a PHP-free course will build a robust foundation for the aspirants for a career as a backend developer. In this blog, we will look at why PHP is still a must-have skill for backend developers.
PHP Backend Developers’ responsibilities
Utilizing PHP and its technologies, a PHP backend developer develops APIs, tackles user authentication, implements business logic, and manages databases to ensure the smooth and hassle-free operations of web applications. Here are some of the responsibilities of PHP backend developers:
- A PHP backend developer’s top responsibility is writing server-side code utilizing PHP and the surrounding frameworks like CodeIgniter, Laravel, and Symfony. These tackle the HTTP requests, implement backend logic, and generate content that is dynamic to be displayed on the client side.
- These developers implement and design RESTful APIs of endpoints of GraphQl to facilitate communication among backend and frontend components of the web applications. These tackle the request/response formats, define the API endpoints, and enforce security protocols to safeguard sensitive data.
- A PHP backend developer engages with databases to retrieve, store, and manipulate data. These write the queries of SQL, design the database schemas, and optimize the database performance to ensure effortless and efficient data retrieval and storage.
- The developers implement user authorization and authentication mechanisms to safeguard access to protected resources that are in the website applications.
Reasons why PHP is a must for Backend Developers
PHP is one of the oldest horses in the race of website app development. It is actually one of the oldest and most widely used scripting languages for backend developers. And even though there are many modern languages out there now, PHP still holds its use in 80% of the web. Here are some of the reasons why PHP is still a must-know skill for backend developers:
- Easy learning
PHP is developed to be intuitive yet simple for beginners since it follows a syntax that is identical to other common languages like Perl, C, and Java. Furthermore, PHP has an active and massive community that gives developers and learners many tutorials, resources, and support. The cherry on top is PHP for backend development, which is extremely easy to use as in HTML files, it can directly be embedded. It works harmoniously with the majority of databases and web servers.
- Open-source and free
As a server-side language, website development is extremely economical, all thanks to PHP, which is an open-source language that is free for all. As a website developer, you are required to give the clients as many options as possible on the economic front. You may advertise your services of eCommerce store, website, or any other web application development at a lower cost if you are proficient in PHP. Because it is an open-source language that is free and has been around for a while, PHP has a large community that makes sure timely updates are made to the language such that it is in perfect sync with the latest requirements of the website applications.
- Adaptable & flexible
PHP is an adaptable and flexible language that enables developers to develop engaging and dynamic website applications. PHP can juggle many different tasks, such as file manipulation, data processing, email sending, session management, and authentication.
Furthermore, PHP may be customized and extended with distinct libraries, frameworks, and extensions that grant many features and additional functionality. It can also adapt to the modern changes in technologies and requirements as it is continuously being improved and updated by its developers in the community. If you are looking to get your hands on a perfectly developed PHP course, check out
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- Scalable & Fast
It is known for being a fast and scalable language that can tackle high traffic and handle high performance. PHP is fast as it utilizes a JIT compiler that optimizes the code execution at the runtime. It is also scalable, as it can effortlessly be integrated with load balancers, caching systems, and cloud services that enhance the reliability and efficiency of website applications. PHP can also be combined with other tools and languages, such as CSS, Ajax, HTML, and RESTful APIs, to create responsive and rich web experiences.
- Compatible and cost-effective
It is a compatible and budget-friendly language that can decrease the time for development and the expense of web projects. It is considered budget-friendly because it is open-source and free, which implies that the developers can utilize it without paying any sort of fee for licenses. It is compatible as it runs on most web servers, operating systems, and browsers. Therefore, the developers never have to worry about compatibility issues or any sort of platform-specific limitations.
- Secure and mature
PHP is considered a mature and secure language that has been proven after being repeatedly tested by many developers and website applications. Backend development with PHP is mature as it has been around for over 25 years now, which implies that it is a robust and stable core, a documentation that is comprehensive, and best practices and standards that are well-established. Because of its offering of various functions and features to prevent security threats, it is very safe.
Wrapping up
To wrap it up, a PHP backend developer plays a pivotal role in developing the robust infrastructure that powers modern web applications. Because of the above-mentioned reasons, it still holds its dominance in the backend development landscape.