PHP Is the Perfect Language for Beginners

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Photo by Ben Griffiths on Unsplash

When I decided to teach myself how to code, I did what most curious beginners do; I searched for advice online. And just like that, I was hit with the same advice over and over:

“Start with Python, it’s beginner friendly!”

“JavaScript is everywhere, just learn it already!”

Every blog, YouTube video, and random internet stranger said the same thing.

While it’s often dismissed as outdated, PHP became the foundation of my learning journey. And despite the skepticism and countless memes, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made as a self-taught developer.

Let me tell you why.

When I decided to teach myself software development, I wasn’t just thinking about writing code for fun.

I wanted skills that could eventually help me earn something on the side. So naturally, I began looking into freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr just to get a sense of what kind of work was out there.

One thing kept standing out: PHP was everywhere.

It wasn’t the flashiest language. But clients were hiring for it, and freelancers were landing consistent gigs building or maintaining PHP-based systems.

Around the same time, a friend of mine who was already working in a dev role mentioned that his team used PHP, specifically the Laravel framework to build production-level backend systems.

He spoke highly of it. Clean syntax, great documentation, and lots of opportunities to work on real, practical projects for most of their backend tasks.

This led me down a rabbit hole.

I started digging deeper into PHP, exploring its ecosystem, reading documentation, and watching YouTube tutorials. The more I learned, the more things began to click.

I discovered frameworks like Laravel that made everything feel more structured and elegant.

By the end of that rabbit hole, I knew this was the language I was going to stick with. Not because it was trendy, but because it made sense to me, fit my goals, and felt practical.

When I was starting out, the internet seemed to agree on one thing , if you’re a beginner, learn Python or JavaScript.

They’re everywhere in tutorials, coding bootcamps, and social media debates. So naturally, I explored both.

Python was clean and readable, no doubt. JavaScript was powerful and essential for web development. But when I looked beyond the syntax and trends, I asked myself one key question:

Which language aligns best with what I want to do right now?

For me, the answer was PHP. Here’s why:

• Zero setup pain. All I needed was XAMPP or a basic shared hosting account. No Node environment, no virtual environments, just write and run.
• Freelance demand: I saw real clients on freelancing platforms actively looking for PHP developers. Websites like WordPress and existing business systems were built on it, and that meant jobs.
• Real-world use: A friend of mine was already working at a company using Laravel (a PHP framework), and he encouraged me to check it out. Seeing PHP being used in production gave me the confidence that it wasn’t just a dying language.
• Beginner-friendly frameworks: Laravel made backend development feel structured and even elegant. The documentation was beginner-friendly, and the community was welcoming.
• Quick wins: I could build something functional much quicker with PHP. That was motivating. As a beginner, seeing something actually work kept me going.

Choosing PHP wasn’t about ignoring Python or JavaScript. It was about choosing a tool that matched my goals, learning style, and opportunities I could act on immediately. And honestly, that made all the difference.

Once I chose PHP, I jumped in with curiosity and a bit of blind confidence. I started small, building login systems, contact forms, and basic CRUD apps.

At first, everything felt overwhelming, but every little thing that worked gave me a boost.

My first real win?

A working login system with database integration. It felt like magic seeing it redirect correctly after hours of trial and error. I remember thinking, “I actually built that?”

And I’m still learning. I still Google basic syntax, rewatch Laravel tutorials, and occasionally get stuck on problems that seem simple in hindsight. But that’s the beauty of it. Each bug I fix, each small feature I implement, it all reminds me how far I’ve come from day one.

This journey isn’t about mastering PHP overnight. It’s about showing up, making progress, and learning through the mess. And so far, it’s been worth every frustrating moment.

Most tutorials make it look easy. You follow along, copy the code, and everything just works. But once I started building on my own, reality hit hard.

No one tells you how stuck you’ll feel when your code breaks and there’s no step-by-step guide to save you. Or how overwhelming it can be trying to understand concepts like routing, controllers, or database migrations when it’s all brand new.

There were days I stared at my screen, wondering if I made the wrong choice. But I kept showing up. I Googled. I reread docs. I made mistakes, learned from them, and slowly began to enjoy the process.

I’m still learning, still fumbling sometimes, but that’s part of it. Tutorials got me started, but the real growth began when I had to figure things out myself.

PHP gets clowned on a lot online. You’ll hear it’s “old,” “messy,” or “not cool anymore.” But the truth is, PHP powers a huge chunk of the web, quietly doing its job every day.

(As of early 2025, W3Techs reports that PHP powers 74.5% of all websites with a known server-side programming language.)

What I’ve come to respect about PHP is how accessible it is. It gave me, a beginner with no formal CS background, a clear entry point. I didn’t need fancy setups or expensive tools. Just a code editor and some curiosity.

And once I discovered Laravel, things really opened up. Suddenly, I could build things that looked and felt professional. It made me believe I could actually become a developer.

Say what you want about PHP, but it’s still here, still evolving, and still helping people like me get started. That deserves some credit.

At the end of the day, the “best” programming language is the one that helps you get started and keeps you moving. For me, that was PHP.

I didn’t follow the hype. I followed what made sense for my goals, my learning style, and the kind of projects I wanted to build. I’m still learning, still improving, but I’m building things I once thought were out of reach.

So, if you’re just starting out, don’t overthink it. Pick the tool that fits you, not the trend. Start building. The rest will come.

Every developer’s journey is different. Mine just happened to start with PHP, not because it was the most popular, but because it aligned with what I needed at the time.

I’m still learning every day. There’s a lot I don’t know yet, but I’ve already come farther than I thought possible when I started. Choosing PHP gave me a clear path and the confidence to keep going.

PHP wasn’t cool. It wasn’t even recommended. But it taught me to think like a developer. It got me building. And that’s what every beginner needs.

That’s what I’m doing, and it’s working.

If you’re a beginner who’s unsure which language to start with, or if you’ve walked a similar path, I’d love to hear your story.

Drop a comment or connect with me. Let’s grow together.

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