--- title: "Basic PHP Syntax" description: "PHP is a server side scripting language which is executed on server and result sent in plain html format to client browser. A PHPscripting block al" author: "Anonymous User" published: 2011-09-02 updated: 2020-03-04 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/articles/714/basic-php-syntax category: "php" tags: ["php"] reading_time: 2 minutes --- # Basic PHP Syntax PHP is a [server side](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/143/close-popup-window-by-server-side-code) [scripting language](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/486/scripting-language) which is executed on server and result sent in plain html format to client browser.\ A [**PHP**](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12165/registration-in-php) scripting block always starts with . A PHP scripting block can be placed anywhere in the html document. You can use shorthand tag (as ending tag) rather than (as ending tag), but for more [compatibility](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/303291/best-practices-for-working-with-host-apis-security-compatibility-and-performance-considerations) you should have to use first one. ##### Syntax: ##### Example: ```           First Php Script          <%-- Basic Php script syntax--%>                ?>  ``` A PHP file contains [html tag](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/78/how-avoid-the-html-tag-and-remove-the-formating-of-copy-in-ajax-editor), just like html file, and contains some scripting code. Here we have an example for displaying message with [**php**](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12165/registration-in-php) script. ```           First Php Script             ``` Now type http://localhost:85/MySiteFile/ in URL web address of [web browser](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/95505/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-using-safari-web-browser). ![Basic PHP Syntax](https://www.mindstick.com/mindstickarticle/b12ac7c2-4b9b-4104-bdb1-8fff45e2a10b/images/7af5bb86-3d57-4f6e-80c1-d74c5dbfa239.png) ##### Comments in PHP: We use ‘//’ (double [forward slash](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/159257/backslash-vs-forward-slash-when-moving-files-in-python)) to make single-line comment and ‘/* */ ‘for multi-line comment. ```           First Php Script             ``` \ --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/articles/714/basic-php-syntax Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.