Writing PHP
By Neil Williams
2007-11-11
What can PHP do?
System functions available within PHP include creating, opening, reading from, writing to and
closing files on the server, executing system commands, create directories and modify file permissions in
pre-determined directories. PHP can receive and process data from forms, save data to files, send by
email and output a response to the browser. Some installations of PHP can use databases and generate
tables and content in real time and some can also create images on-the-fly.
Other uses of PHP4 include Java and Java Servlets support, XML parsing,
Acrobat PDF file creation, GZip manipulation, DNS and socket use etc.
PHP is cross platform and available for all types of web servers and has a lower memory
requirement than other server-side languages.
Tutorial Pages:
» What can PHP do?
»
PHP output
»
PHP and HTTP: headers and variables
»
No need for CGI access
»
Preventing and solving bugs in PHP
»
Checking user input for dubious or erroneous values
»
Read remote files, read and write local files on the server
»
Common PHP functions
»
Building, sorting, reversing and flipping arrays
»
Current time, date calculations, timestamp formats
»
PHP string functions
Copyright © Neil Williams
