Introduction

The best way to start learning PHP is by writing the classic "Hello World" application. In this article, we'll guide you through creating your first PHP app step by step.

Required Tools

To run your first PHP application, you'll need:

• A text editor (VS Code, Sublime Text, etc.)
• A PHP server (XAMPP, WAMP, or running PHP via command line)

Step 1: Install PHP

To install PHP on your computer:

1. Download PHP fromphp.net.
2. Alternatively, install a development environment likeXAMPPto run Apache and PHP together.

Step 2: Write the "Hello World" Code

Save the following PHP code in a file with a `.php` extension (e.g., `hello.php`).

Step 3: Run the PHP File

If you're using XAMPP:

1. Start the Apache server.
2. Copy `hello.php` to the `htdocs` folder.
3. Visithttp://localhost/hello.phpin your browser.

If you're using the command line:

php -S localhost:8000

Then openhttp://localhost:8000/hello.phpin your browser.

Conclusion

If everything is set up correctly, you should see "Hello World!" displayed in your browser. Congratulations — you've just created and run your first PHP application!