What is the .php file extension?
The term PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor, which is a popular scripting language that was designed to facilitate the creation of dynamic web pages.
.php (Hypertext Preprocessor) files are web pages that include PHP code. When a user accesses a .php file using a web browser, the PHP engine on the web server breaks down the PHP script, generating HTML. The HTML content in turn is sent to the user?s web browser. As a result, the PHP code of a web page is never displayed to the user even when he/she is viewing the page source.
.php files come under the Web Files category and they are associated with the following Mime types:
- application/x-httpd-php
- application/php
- text/php
- application/x-php
- magnus-internal/shellcgi
Advantage of using .php files
As PHP code cannot be copied by viewing a web page?s source code, the PHP files are more secure than other file formats. This is one of the major reasons why an increasing number of websites are using PHP to drive their services.
Names of the programs that can open .php files
If you use Windows, you may open .php files using any of the following programs:
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS5
- Notepad++
- MPSoftware phpDesigner
- Windows Server with PHP
- View .php files in a Web Browser
- Edit .php files in a text editor
If you use a Mac operating system, you may open .php files using any of the following programs:
- Adobe Dreamweaver CS5
- Apache Web Server with PHP
- Bare Bones Software BBEdit
- View .php files in a Web Browser
- Edit .php files in a text editor
If you use Linux, you may open .php files using any of the following programs:
- Apache Web Server software with PHP
- Edit .php files with a text editor
If you need to open a .php file but are unable to do so using the programs installed on your computer, then you may try opening the file with FileCure, which is a reliable and easy-to-use file opener program that allows Windows users to easily open various file types, including .php files.