PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open-source general-purpose scripting language designed primarily for web development. It can be embedded into HTML, allowing you to create dynamic web pages. Unlike client-side JavaScript, which runs in the user’s browser, PHP code executes on the server, generating HTML that is then sent to the client. This means users can’t directly see the underlying PHP code. PHP is straightforward for newcomers but also offers advanced features for professional programmers12.