Core Code
Core Code Modern Dev Handbook

Installation & Setup

Set up PHP on Windows/Linux/macOS and understand the local dev workflow (CLI + web server).
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Two Ways to Run PHP

You can run PHP through a web server (Apache/Nginx + PHP-FPM) or directly via the CLI. You will use both: web server for real web requests, CLI for scripts, cron jobs, and tooling.

Check Your PHP Version

After installation, verify that PHP is available and confirm the version.

php -v

Run a Simple CLI Script

Create a file named hello.php and run it from the terminal.

<?php
echo 'Hello from PHP CLI' . PHP_EOL;
php hello.php

Run a Local Development Server

PHP includes a built-in dev server (not for production). It's great for quick tests.

php -S 127.0.0.1:8000 -t public

Production Note

In production you typically run PHP via PHP-FPM behind Nginx (or Apache). Combine it with OPcache for performance, and keep environment configuration separate from code.

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