freeCodeCamp/guide/english/php/hello-world/index.md

---
title: PHP - Hello World
---
## PHP - Hello World

PHP scripts are executed on the server.

Before you continue you should have a basic understanding of the following:

### HTML - A webpage's blueprint
### CSS - A webpage's design plan and instruction
### JavaScript - A webpages power worker, that makes it function dynamically. 
PHP files can contain Text, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP code.
A PHP script is executed on the server, and is returned to the user on the browser as just HTML markup, with some styling.

A PHP script starts with `<?php` and ends with `?>`:
```php
<?php
// PHP code goes here
?>
```
or 
you can also write A PHP script which starts with `<?php` and ends without `?>` when writing it in an external file i.e. "filename.php":
```php
<?php
// PHP code goes here
```

The code can later be called using include:
```php
<?php
include 'filename.php';
?>
```
or
using require
```php
<?php
require 'filename.php';
?>
```

Below, we have an example of a simple PHP file, with a PHP script that uses a built-in PHP function "echo" to output(echo out) the text "Hello World!" on a web page:

```php
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<?php
echo "Hello World!";
?>

</body>
</html>
```

Note: You cannot simply open this file with your browser as you could with an html file. In order for this file to display properly in your browser, you must place it in an accessible folder on a server. A simple example: To do this in apache, you would be replacing the "index.html" file with this file and naming it "index.php" (You should check that php is enabled on your apache server).
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00			`---`
			`title: PHP - Hello World`
			`---`
			`## PHP - Hello World`

			`PHP scripts are executed on the server.`

			`Before you continue you should have a basic understanding of the following:`

An Update to the intro to PHP guide. Quick Little Review. (#33961) * Update index.md * Update index.md 2019-03-27 02:14:14 +01:00			`### HTML - A webpage's blueprint`
			`### CSS - A webpage's design plan and instruction`
			`### JavaScript - A webpages power worker, that makes it function dynamically.`
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00			`PHP files can contain Text, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP code.`
An Update to the intro to PHP guide. Quick Little Review. (#33961) * Update index.md * Update index.md 2019-03-27 02:14:14 +01:00			`A PHP script is executed on the server, and is returned to the user on the browser as just HTML markup, with some styling.`
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00
			A PHP script starts with `<?php` and ends with `?>`:
			```php
			`<?php`
			`// PHP code goes here`
			`?>`
			```
			`or`
Added some texts regarding external php scripts (#30419) and calling them using include and require 2019-03-27 06:57:17 +05:45			you can also write A PHP script which starts with `<?php` and ends without `?>` when writing it in an external file i.e. "filename.php":
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00			```php
			`<?php`
			`// PHP code goes here`
			```

Added some texts regarding external php scripts (#30419) and calling them using include and require 2019-03-27 06:57:17 +05:45			`The code can later be called using include:`
			```php
			`<?php`
			`include 'filename.php';`
			`?>`
			```
			`or`
			`using require`
			```php
			`<?php`
			`require 'filename.php';`
			`?>`
			```
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00
An Update to the intro to PHP guide. Quick Little Review. (#33961) * Update index.md * Update index.md 2019-03-27 02:14:14 +01:00			`Below, we have an example of a simple PHP file, with a PHP script that uses a built-in PHP function "echo" to output(echo out) the text "Hello World!" on a web page:`
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00
			```php
			`<!DOCTYPE html>`
			`<html>`
			`<body>`

			`<?php`
Correct output text to "Hello World!" (#24449) Correct the output text to read "Hello World!" instead of "This is my first PHP script!". 2018-11-17 16:05:04 +11:00			`echo "Hello World!";`
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00			`?>`

			`</body>`
			`</html>`
			```
Explanation/example of how to get the file to display in browser (#22554) * More detailed explanation/example A little extra explanation about how to get the example file to display in the browser. * Used 'note' for changes 2018-11-09 04:10:51 -05:00
			`Note: You cannot simply open this file with your browser as you could with an html file. In order for this file to display properly in your browser, you must place it in an accessible folder on a server. A simple example: To do this in apache, you would be replacing the "index.html" file with this file and naming it "index.php" (You should check that php is enabled on your apache server).`