Is PHP still widely used?

In 2024, PHP remains a robust and widely-used language, particularly for web development. Despite the rise of newer languages and frameworks like Python, Node.js, and JavaScript-based technologies, PHP continues to hold its ground in the tech world. Here’s why:

Powering Popular Platforms:
PHP serves as the backbone of WordPress, which powers over 40% of the web. Other popular CMS platforms, such as Joomla and Drupal, also rely on PHP. This widespread usage keeps the language relevant, especially for content-driven websites.

Evolution and Modernization:
PHP has undergone significant improvements over the years. With the introduction of PHP 7 and PHP 8, the language now boasts better performance, making it faster and more efficient. Features like Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation in PHP 8 have helped narrow the gap between PHP and other high-performance languages in terms of speed and security.

Large Community and Resources:
PHP has one of the largest developer communities globally, which contributes to its extensive documentation, libraries, and frameworks like Laravel and Symfony. This wealth of resources not only makes PHP accessible but also speeds up development by providing pre-built solutions and ongoing support.

Ease of Learning and Hosting:
PHP’s simplicity makes it an excellent choice for beginners. Many web hosting providers natively support PHP, making it a go-to option for small to medium-sized businesses, personal projects, and blogs.

Strong Enterprise Use Cases:
PHP has been the foundation for major platforms such as Facebook (in its early days), Wikipedia, and Yahoo. While some of these companies have transitioned to other tech stacks, PHP remains a stable and familiar choice for millions of websites worldwide.

Conclusion:
While competition from newer technologies exists, PHP remains widely used and highly relevant. Whether you\'re a beginner exploring web development or an experienced developer building enterprise-level web applications, PHP continues to be a powerful and capable language in the modern web development landscape.