Why is PHP considered a scripting language and not a programming language?

Answer 1

PHP is a programming language, just like Perl, Python, JavaScript, Basic and many other interpreted language.

Note: the PHP interpreter can be integrated into the webserver, or run standalone.

Answer 2

A PHP script runs on the SERVER.

When you visit a webpage your browser will execute its corresponding client scripts such as JavaScript scripts after downloading the webpage to your computer.

A PHP script can make use of resources in the server which contains the webpage you are visiting. Javascript has no direct access to such information (databases on the server, connection with external servers and services, users currently logged on server, etc.).

In fact nowadays Javascript can connect to server-side scripts to aquire any information there, but it is still run on the client (the webpage visitor's browser), not in the server.

For example, if your web server is very busy and slow, your Javascript will run as fast as visitors computers can meanwhile your Javascript script does not require communication to such slow server.

Answer 3

PHP is server-side because the code runs on the server, not in the browser. So when you load a website that is running PHP your computer contacts the server, the server executes the code, returns the results, and the browser just displays it.

Answer 4

It is a dynamic scripting language which is open source. In other words it allows changes to be made without the need to unload it off the server and you don't have to pay anything to use it