Is learning PHP worthwhile?

A successful digital business depends on having a website that is useful, loads quickly, and is easy to use. And part of developing such a website is picking the proper programming language. The commonly used term PHP comes to mind whenever a web developer from a software development organisation thinks about web development.
While many industry newcomers might doubt its efficacy, others see it as the foundation of online development.
WordPress has helped PHP become more well-known online, but as block-based editing options were accessible, rumours that PHP was going extinct started to circulate. Additionally, when Node.js and Python gained popularity, PHP began to lose ground, and many still hold the view that PHP is nearing the end of its useful life.
Despite this, PHP continues to be one of the most popular programming languages on the internet. Numerous well-known websites, such as Facebook.com, Microsoft.com, Wikipedia.org, Realtor.com, SalesForce.com, Slack.com, Tesla.com, Etsy.com, and, of course, WordPress.com, are powered by PHP. Over 70% of the internet uses PHP as its server-side programming language.
It is well known that PHP is slow and has terrible syntax. Although PHP may have been slow in the past, it has considerably improved and is now faster than ever with PHP 7.0. PHP offers a lot more advantages than just speed.
All of the major browsers are supported by PHP, an open-source programming language that is extremely scalable and cost-free. PHP is also readily available and remarkably compatible with JavaScript. The creation of appealing and practical websites is made simple by this combination.
When used with frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, or CodeIgniter, PHP is easy to use. PHP also supports a wide range of databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Mongo, Oracle DB, DB++, Paradox, Ingres, and many more.
PHP is, in fact, here to stay—at least for the near future. It is a language that many programmers enjoy, and despite a modest drop in acceptance, it still commands a significant following online and rules the web.

What Makes PHP Today's Most Useful Programming Language?

Approximately 80% of all websites on the internet are powered by PHP, as you may already be aware. PHP is still commonly used today and will likely remain so.
Among the advantages of learning PHP in 2022 are the following:
Since its introduction in 1994, the PHP programming language has grown to become the most widely used server-side scripting language. Its maturity is evident from this. PHP is a modern language with many modern features, including support for object-oriented programming (OOP).
PHP 7 adds a lot and is significantly faster than PHP 5. This is partly the outcome of PHP's organisational restructuring for improved productivity. OpCode caching is another feature of PHP 7 that improves performance. The PHP community is always trying to find methods to make PHP better.
The most widely used server-side scripting language is PHP, which is sometimes known as server-side scripting because it runs on servers. PHP is the server-side programming language that is most frequently utilised.
Despite the hostile atmosphere of the Internet, PHP remains secure. The PHP programming language has a substantial level of security design built in. As a result, protecting your application is straightforward.
MySql is the most often used database, yet PHP cannot connect to or use a wide range of databases. MySql is free and open source. PHP also works with PostgreSQL, Oracle, Sybase, and DB2, among other databases. The utilisation of business data online is greatly facilitated by this.
PHP hosting is readily accessible because it is included in every major hosting provider's hosting plan. There are various options available, including Godaddy and Bluehost.
Community support - The PHP community is large. It only makes sense, given how frequently it is employed. Worldwide, there are numerous PHP support organisations. Even the Linux user groups are willing to assist.
PHP offers great documentation that matches PHP's maturity level. Every version of PHP has a manual available. The manual offers various instances of user feedback. There are many tutorials and examples on the Internet if the user manual is not enough to fulfil your needs.
PHP developers are in high demand, and this demand is only increasing as the Internet increases. Rumour has it that the current state of affairs is causing businesses to move more and more online, boosting the use of PHP.
Although PHP is straightforward to master, there is a learning curve if you need to comprehend the full stack of technologies that collaborate to host and construct websites and web apps.
Because there are so many free courses available, there is hardly any entry barrier, and learning new skills is straightforward. I continue to read and hear of self-taught programmers getting jobs at entry-level companies. You can advance a little bit and learn how to become an entry-level developer by enrolling in a 3- or 4-month boot camp. I had to have a four-year degree when I initially started.
The spectrum of pay and benefits is from fair to profitable. With perks, a PHP developer with little to no experience might earn between $40,000 and $50,000 annually.
Remote work Modern technology always makes it possible to work remotely.
Take up PHP to complete your tasks – in order to launch my own website, I began learning how to create interactive, data-driven websites in 2000. I didn't begin working as a freelance PHP programmer for myself and other people until 2006. You might go through the same thing. In my opinion, PHP is the best server-side scripting language for a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) web developer.
Some suggest acquiring foreign language skills:
I strongly object. I wouldn't have thought that learning different languages would be that important given how well-developed and in-demand the PHP environment is. Even if you could eventually want to learn other things, PHP is a really great option for 2022, in my opinion.
In the early 2000s, I used Perl and Active Server Pages to create websites (ASP). Those two are all but extinct, although PHP is continuously active.
You will see how programming languages like C# and Java are used while creating internet apps. C# is a Microsoft product, whereas Java was created by Sun Microsystems, which Oracle acquired in 2010.
I like using PHP to construct websites instead of any other language.
I prefer to use only Open Source software in all of my work as a web developer.
The PHP ecosystem is so rich, in my opinion, that I think you'll need to specialise, but once you do, you may profit from that market for a very long time. Being a "jack of all trades" will only make you a master at none, so avoid doing it. jump in.
Let's look at a specific example. Take WordPress and the WooCommerce plugin as examples. WordPress currently holds a 30% market share, and WooCommerce is growing quickly.
The shift to the web is still progressing quickly. Some predict that as organisations start to acclimate to doing more business online, there will be an even stronger urge to conduct business online given the recent business closures.

Conclusion:

The well-established language PHP is here to stay. Many of the most popular web applications, like WordPress and WooCommerce, are made with PHP. For years to come, there will be a high demand for PHP developers.
PHP is cost-free and easy to learn. One of the several online resources is the PHP handbook. Pay and benefits range from respectable to above average.
In my perspective, PHP is one of the most dynamic and approachable programming languages available. Even if PHP's use continues to fall at the same rate, it will still be around for a very long time. PHP won't disappear in 2021 or after, therefore learning it is definitely worthwhile.