When you set up your website, you will probably want PHP. Finding a reliable PHP hosting is basically the same as finding a reliable host in general. You want to consider such basics as uptime, versions of software used, and availability of technical support.
PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. PHP is a server-side scripting language like ASP and is executed on the server. It can support many databases including but not limited to MySQL, Informix, Oracle, or Sybase plus many others. It is an open source software that is free to download and use.
PHP is a server side scripting language widely used for web development and can be embedded into HTML. Server side script runs on the server. The code received from the browser will be passed to the PHP interpreter by the web server. The PHP interpreter residing on the web server runs through the script and produces the html that is delivered to the client browser. PHP is used together with MySQL or Ingress. A PHP webhosting must ensure that both PHP and MySQL are supported. PHP webhosting must support the recent versions since they are the most stable and not the beta versions.
“…However, if you would like to have a site that performs useful functions I recommend that you choose a platform that can process applications. I would recommend the PHP scripting platform mainly because it is very powerful and popular…”
The feature that distinguishes the normal HTML web pages from the server side scripting web sites is the server response times. You may find the server response slows down when encountering PHP script. This could be due to old server with insufficient processor capacity and memory. When using PHP webhosting check the server response times. Slow response in loading pages usually means insufficient webhosting resources. Or, it could be due to excessive number of processes running simultaneously on the webhosting service. This could mean that the service is hosting more number of domains than they are capable of taking. This could be a bad sign for you since in the internet business, speed is of prime importance. Also, it would be difficult for the users to access your web site. If you are engaged in business and when business transactions are conducted over your website, a slow webhosting service is detrimental.
You must choose the PHP webhosting service that best suits you. In choosing this service you need to remember the following points:
The above points will help you find the PHP webhosting service that could offer value for your money. The welfare of your business could depend on the hosting company you choose so do some legwork and necessary research before you commit to one.
“…It's not so easy to get great PHP web hosting…”
It is a good idea to look for a recommendation before choosing a webhost. Ask members of a webmaster forum for reviews of your host. That is a good way to eliminate the bad hosts from your decision making.