PHP Development in 2022: What will be its Future?

PHP powers nearly 78.9% of websites on the internet. It indicates that this scripting language is the king of server-side development. However, many have this question – will it remain relevant in the coming years?

The same question might have popped up in your mind as well. That’s why you have landed here. Everything in the universe indeed has an end. The same thing applies to PHP or any other technology. But PHP will not go anywhere in the next few years.

Whether you have an existing PHP-built website or plan to create a new one, it is a good decision. Given the regular updates and advancements in PHP, you can compete with websites built with modern programming languages. Depending on your project needs, you can hire an on-site PHP developer.

If you are not convinced, do not worry! Our PHP experts are here to explain the future of PHP. First, we will begin with answering, “is PHP dead?”

• Is PHP dead? 
  
  Currently, PHP might not be the most advanced scripting language. After all, we have plenty of modern-day programming languages like PHP, Ruby, Python, .Net, Perl, etc. Of course, they are much advanced than PHP. But it does not mean PHP is gone. To support this statement, we have listed some interesting facts below. 
  
  
  • As we already mentioned, around 78.9% of websites use PHP. It means 8 in 10 websites are built with PHP. 
  • According to Statista, PHP is the most popular programming language of 2021, with a 45.43% market share.
  • PHP 8.1.1 is the latest release that comes with a bug fix.
  • PHP is compatible with most operating systems like Windows, MacOS, Linux, and XRISC OS.

If this is not enough, you should know that PHP is the first preference of many leading brands. Some of the big names are WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and more. The reason for this is PHP has become faster and better than ever. Are you wondering how? Keep reading!

• PHP is advanced and faster
  
  With the latest version 8.1, web app development with PHP has become convenient than ever. It comes with new features and improvements. Plus, it brings solutions for certain undesired functionality. Before hiring a freelance PHP developer for your upcoming project, you need to know the benefits. Besides this, we have listed the latest PHP trends that you must consider.
  

• Perks of using PHP
   
  • Open source – Do you have a limited budget to build your website? We have good news that PHP is a free technology. It has a large community of developers constantly discussing and improving the programming language. Additionally, PHP has its support, unlike many other solutions. What else do you want? You get almost everything within the budget. 
    
    
  • High speed – You will love to know that PHP comes with a fast loading speed. All thanks to its in-built memory, it reduces loading time and workload. Plus, it boosts processing speed, which benefits both developers and enterprises.
    
    
  • Scalability – Scalability is crucial for any business because eventually, they will grow their website. With PHP, you can scale up your website with ease. All it takes is adding more servers.
    
    
  • Security – With the increase of online malware, it is essential to build highly-secure websites. Regardless of numerous claims and misconceptions, PHP offers ultimate website protection.
    
    
  • Affordability – Since it is an open-source technology, every business, start-up, and large-scales, can create a feature-rich website. Open-source means you do not have to pay any fees for a license to PHP.
    

• PHP development trends to watch out in 2022
  
  Your PHP developer can help you build a highly-performant, scalable, and secure website without breaking your bank. But to ensure your web application gain a competitive edge, follow these trends.
   
  • Chatbots- Customer service is the key to retaining customers. If you want more conversions or loyal customers, offer smooth, accessible, and fast customer support. For this reason, PHP has adopted chatbots, a revolutionized way to interact with consumers.
    
    Contrary to conventional methods, chatbots are faster to respond and available 24/7. By investing in chatbots, you can improve your customer experience. As a result, you will draw more traffic and gain more conversions. 
    
    
  • Website security – Given the rising number of online scams and data breaches, cybersecurity has become crucial than ever. Every year, governments, organizations, and individuals lose millions of dollars. Therefore, the latest releases of PHP focus primarily on improving website security. Besides this, it has tools like Laravel that offer full-proof protection against the menace.
    
    
  • User interface – You have an advanced and feature-rich website. But if its user interface is not receptive and engaging, the result will be futile. It means the success of your website depends on its user interface. Therefore, you may see a PHP web development trend focusing on creating user-centric interfaces. 
    
    We have numerous PHP frameworks and tools that create user-friendly and easy-to-navigate websites. These are PHP frameworks that ensure user-oriented interfaces, such as: 
    
    • CodeIgniter
    • Laravel
    • CakePHP

In closing

PHP is the best programming language for an n-number of reasons. And may we have covered in this post. Whether you want to develop an e-commerce site, web application, or blogging site, it meets all your needs. Moreover, the latest PHP development trends can build a highly secure, attractive, and engaging website. Please remember, as long as the developers’ community is working on improving PHP, it will not go anywhere soon.

If you are searching for a company that offers experienced PHP developers, contact SoftProdigy. Our professionals are committed to delivering top-notch services. Call us today to know more!

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FAQs

1. Will PHP Rule the web app development in 2022?

Regardless of all the claims about PHP being dead, this programming language has a bright future. It is a fast, secure, and feature-rich language while staying updated with the latest technology.

• Is it easy to hire a PHP developer today?

Yes, with nearly 5 million PHP developers worldwide, you can easily hire one for your project. In the United States, there are 637,000 PHP developers, which means you do not have to outsource from another country.

• How much does building a website PHP cost?

When it comes to PHP, it is free to download and use. It means you do not have to pay any license fee. But if you are incorporating cutting-edge technologies like AI, Cloud Integration, or IoT, you can expect the cost to hike.

• What led to the popularity of PHP?

PHP offers plenty of features and ultimate web development capabilities. But what makes this language so popular is its versatility and unmatched adaptability.

• Is PHP similar to JavaScript?

Both PHP and JavaScript are the leading programming languages. But they are not similar. The primary difference between them is PHP offers server-side development, whereas JavaScript ensures client-side development.

• How many active websites use PHP?

PHP is a widely-accepted scripting language for various reasons. Currently, we have 5,197,579 active PHP websites. Please remember, the number is increasing every day.