PHP, which stands for Hypertext Preprocessor, is a scripting language that has been around for almost three decades and remains one of the most popular tools for web development.
If you’ve browsed the internet, there’s a good chance you’ve interacted with PHP-powered websites without even knowing it.
In 2024, PHP is still a go-to choice for many developers, thanks to its ease of use and the new updates that make it more powerful than ever before.
Here are 10 interesting facts about PHP in 2024 that you might not know, even if you’ve been coding with it for years!
1. PHP Still Powers Almost 75% of Websites
Yes, you read that right.
In 2024, nearly 75% of all websites that use a server-side programming language rely on PHP.
This includes major platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.
Despite the rise of modern languages and frameworks, PHP still dominates the web development scene.
Why is this important?
Many people assume that newer languages have overtaken PHP, but it continues to be incredibly popular because it’s reliable, flexible, and easy to learn.
Developers appreciate PHP’s vast community, excellent documentation, and extensive libraries that make building websites a breeze.
2. PHP 8.x Brings Cutting-Edge Features
PHP continues to evolve, and with the release of PHP 8.x, we’re seeing new features that boost performance and make coding easier.
In 2024, PHP 8.3 is the latest version, offering some powerful enhancements.
Key features include:
- JIT (Just-In-Time) compilation: JIT allows PHP to compile and execute code at runtime, significantly improving performance, especially for tasks involving heavy calculations or repetitive processes.
- Fibers: PHP now supports fibers, which make it easier to write asynchronous code, allowing multiple tasks to happen simultaneously without blocking others.
- Improved type system: With new support for union types, intersection types, and mixed types, developers now have more flexibility and control over how they manage data types in their code.
These changes make PHP faster, safer, and more adaptable, allowing developers to build even more sophisticated web applications.
3. PHP is Moving Towards Asynchronous Programming
One of the biggest challenges with PHP historically was that it was synchronous, meaning tasks were executed one after the other.
In 2024, PHP is embracing asynchronous programming, which allows developers to write code that can handle multiple tasks at the same time.
This is a huge win for websites that need to handle a lot of traffic or real-time data, such as live chat applications or news feeds.
By adopting asynchronous capabilities, PHP is catching up with other modern languages like Node.js, making it even more attractive for developers who want to build fast, efficient web apps.
4. Major Tech Companies Still Use PHP
Despite the rise of newer programming languages, many of the biggest tech companies in the world still rely on PHP for their web platforms.
For example, Facebook uses a highly optimized version of PHP called HHVM (HipHop Virtual Machine), which increases performance and scalability.
Wikipedia, one of the most visited websites in the world, also runs on PHP.
Other notable companies that use PHP include Slack, Mailchimp, and Tumblr.
These companies trust PHP for its ability to handle complex operations while being fast and efficient.
5. PHP is Perfect for Content Management Systems
If you’ve ever built a website using WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, you’ve already used PHP.
In fact, WordPress alone powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, making PHP the foundation for a huge portion of the web.
PHP-based content management systems (CMS) allow users to easily create and manage websites, often without writing a single line of code.
The availability of plugins, themes, and tools makes PHP the ideal language for fast and efficient website creation, especially for businesses, bloggers, and eCommerce platforms.
6. PHP Supports Multi-Threading in 2024
One of the most exciting developments in PHP 2024 is the support for multi-threading.
For a long time, PHP was considered to be weak in multi-threading, which means handling multiple tasks simultaneously.
This is changing with new tools like pthreads, which allow developers to run parallel tasks within the same PHP application.
Multi-threading is particularly useful for complex web applications that need to handle many different processes at once, such as heavy database queries or large file uploads.
7. A Global PHP Community
One of PHP’s greatest strengths has always been its community, and in 2024, this community is stronger than ever.
PHP has thousands of contributors who actively improve the language, creating libraries, frameworks, and tools that help developers work faster and more efficiently.
PHP developers from around the world gather at events like PHPConf to share ideas and collaborate on improving the language.
The active global community ensures that PHP remains relevant and continues to evolve with the latest trends in web development.
8. PHP Frameworks Continue to Grow in Popularity
PHP has a variety of powerful frameworks, such as Laravel, Symfony, and CodeIgniter, that help developers build websites faster and more efficiently.
In 2024, Laravel remains the most popular PHP framework due to its elegant syntax, ease of use, and robust set of features for handling tasks like database management, authentication, and routing.
These frameworks allow developers to follow the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, which separates different parts of an application, making it more organized and scalable.
Frameworks also come with built-in tools for security, debugging, and testing, making development quicker and more secure.
9. PHP is a Key Player in eCommerce Development
Did you know that many of the biggest eCommerce platforms are built using PHP?
Magento and PrestaShop, two leading eCommerce solutions, are both powered by PHP.
In 2024, as online shopping continues to grow, PHP plays an essential role in providing flexible and scalable solutions for building online stores.
With PHP, developers can easily create custom features for managing products, processing secure payments, and handling customer orders, all while ensuring smooth performance.
For businesses looking to build custom eCommerce platforms, PHP remains a solid choice.
10. PHP is Open-Source and Free
Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of PHP is that it’s open-source and completely free to use.
This means that anyone can download PHP, start coding, and build websites without needing to pay for licenses or subscriptions.
The open-source nature of PHP has contributed to its widespread adoption and continued success.
Thanks to its large community of developers, PHP is constantly being updated and improved, ensuring that it stays competitive with other programming languages.
For startups and businesses on a budget, PHP is a fantastic option because it provides a powerful, cost-effective way to build websites.
Conclusion
Even in 2024, PHP remains a powerful and relevant tool for web development.
With its new features, such as asynchronous programming, multi-threading, and an improved type system, PHP continues to evolve and keep up with the demands of modern web applications.
From powering major platforms like WordPress and Wikipedia to providing the backbone for eCommerce and content management systems, PHP is still a dominant force in the tech world.
Whether you’re just getting started with coding or you’ve been working with PHP for years, it’s clear that PHP will continue to be a major player in web development for years to come.
If you haven’t explored PHP 8.x yet, now might be the perfect time to dive in and discover the exciting new features that make it even better for building fast, efficient, and scalable web applications.
