PHP stands for Hypertext PreProcessor. It is an open-source server-side scripting language that can be mixed with HTML tags and has a built-in database support, which means you can use it to create database applications.
While most people have probably heard about PHP, they are not sure what sort of applications can you built with it. PHP is a very popular scripting language among web developers because it is fast and flexible. You can use it to create dynamic web pages which include forms that need to be completed by users and manage the data after it is submitted. PHP can connect to any SQL enabled database.
PHP is an easy-to-learn scripting language that can be used by web developers as a framework to create custom applications.
If you want to have a community portal, a blog or a forum, a PHP hosting service allows you to install forum software, such as PHPBB, portal software (PHPNuke or Drupal) and blogging software (WordPress). If you're running an Ecommerce business, with PHP web hosting you can install Ecommerce software, such as OsCommerce. There's also Gallery, a software for online photo galleries and PhpAds, for advertising. Most PHP web hosts include some of these applications in there hosting packages.
The price range of PHP webhosting services is very wide. Depending on the size of your business, you can decide on a certain hosting plan. If you want technical support as well, you'll have to go higher. For large businesses, you can decide on a dedicated server or collocation hosting plan, which are much more expensive.
The following is a list of our recommended php webhosting providers with customer base trend numbers that are increasing: