Advanced Commercial Web Site Design: ServerSide Scripting

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Advanced Commercial Web Site Design Server-Side
Scripting

• Session 2-1
• Introduction to Server-side Programming

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Outline

• History
• Static vs. Dynamic web pages
• PHP and server-side scripting
• Applications
• Other server-side solutions
• Before the coding

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History 1

• PHP was created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994.
• It started as a collection of Unix-specific HTTP
  server modules, or tools, designed to assist in
  the maintenance of a small Web site.
• PHP stands for 2
• Personal Home Page
• PHP Hypertext Preprocessor

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History (cont.)

• As a collection of tools, PHP is really a
  collection of modules managed by a central PHP
  parser. The modules that make up PHP are written
  in C.
• Since PHP is open source, if you are a competent
  C-programmer you can modify or add to PHP to suit
  your needs.
• The original version of PHP was designed
  primarily to handle usage logging and server-side
  form generation. It was not a scripting language,
  just a set of server tools to help Mr. Lerdorf
  with web site maintenance. Finding these tools to
  be useful, in June of 1995 he posted information
  on the modules to UseNET for others who might be
  interested in them.

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History (cont.)

• About the same time, Rasmus Lerdorf began working
  on a large Web-based project for the University
  of Toronto. The project required the ability to
  pull data in from diverse sources and to provide
  a Web-based administrative interface for the
  system. He saw PHP as an ideal base to develop
  the tools he needed. The result was PHP 2.
• PHP 2 went beyond logging utilities and became
  what Mr. Lerdorf himself called a "Server-side
  Embedded Scripting Language". This shift was in
  response to market demand. People didn't want to
  have to write new C-modules every time they had
  to do something new. Instead they wanted to be
  able to embed the logic directly into their Web
  pages.

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History (cont.)

• PHP 3 was released in 1998 and was the first
  multi-platform version. (Previous versions had
  been Unix only). It expanded database support to
  include ODBC data sources, included a revamped C
  API, and added support for various e-mail
  protocols, including SNMP and IMAP.
• With the release of PHP 4 in 2000, the
  architecture of the language had been entirely
  revamped. PHP was abstracted from the Web server,
  which is to say it became an independent
  component running on the server that was entirely
  divorced from the server architecture. The
  parsing process was improved for greater
  efficiency and security.

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Today

• PHP 5 was released in July 2004 after long
  development and several pre-releases. It is
  mainly driven by its core, the Zend Engine 2.0
  with a new object model 3.
• Our server is currently running stable PHP
  version 4.4.5(consult your info.php page for
  more information)

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What is PHP?

• PHP is a HTML-embedded scripting language.
• PHP is a server side HTML scripting/programming
  language.
• PHP is a tool that lets you create dynamic web
  pages. PHP-enabled web pages are treated just
  like regular HTML pages and you can create and
  edit them the same way you normally create
  regular HTML pages.

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Static vs. Dynamic web pages

• Normally web pages are created as HTML documents
  and made available on a web server. The content
  of the page does not change until the author
  creates and uploads a new version. These are
  known as static pages.
• Many applications of server-side scripts involve
  using databases to produce web pages with dynamic
  content. A dynamic page contains information
  which is generated, often based on data retrieved
  from a database, only when the user requests the
  page.
• Dynamic pages are useful when much of content of
  the site changes frequently and when user
  transactions are needed. Static pages are simpler
  to implement, and are suitable for sites where
  the content does not change often.

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Client-side scripting

• When you access a web page using your browser,
  the web page is sent from the server computer
  where it is stored to the client computer, which
  is the computer your browser is running on.
  JavaScript, Java applets and Flash provide ways
  of putting interactive features in web pages
  which could not be done using HTML alone. These
  are executed on the client.
• Limitations
• Download time.
• Browser compatibility.
• Visible code since JavaScript and VBScript code
  is included in the HTML page, then anyone can see
  the code by viewing the page source.
• Possible security hazards for the client
  computer.

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Server-side scripting

• Alternatively, programs and scripts can be run on
  the server.
• Benefits
• Programs run on a known computer not dependent
  on browser.
• Greater flexibility in what scripts can do e.g.
  access databases, modify files on server.
• Code is not viewable by users.
• Limitations
• You must have your site on a server which is
  capable of running your scripts, and permission
  to create your own scripts.
• Can sometimes be slower to run than client side
  since server access is required.

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PHP server-side scripting

• This is the most traditional and main target
  field for PHP. You need three things to make this
  work.
• The PHP parser (CGI or server module),
• a web server and
• a web browser.
• You need to run the web server, with a connected
  PHP installation. You can access the PHP program
  output with a web browser, viewing the PHP page
  through the server.

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PHP server-side scripting
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Advantages

• Attractive points of PHP are
• It is Open Source and so has a low development
  cost, and
• Support and assistance are readily available
  through the active and helpful PHP Community.
• Cross-platform

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Applications

• The most common application of PHP is,
  undoubtedly, web-based applications utilizing
  databases.
• PHP has an excellent interface to the Open Source
  database, MySQL, which means that developers can
  utilize these tools easily and effectively to
  create fast web applications.
• PHP provides support for many other databases as
  well, including SQL Server, Oracle and MS Access.
  It has proven to be a viable and stable solution
  for everything from personal to corporate to
  E-commerce web sites.

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Applications (cont.)

• It also comes with a wide range of other features
  such as XML support, Java servlet support,
  native session handling and IMAP functions
  amongst others.
• As well as being easy to pick up it offers many
  advanced functions that experienced developers
  will appreciate.
• Graphics
• File/Directory handling
• PDF and ZIP file manipulation

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Other server-sidescripting languages

• Active Server Pages (ASP)
• Java Server Pages (JSP)
• Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
• ColdFusion
• A comparison of PHP and other languages can be
  found at 4

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Active Server Pages - ASP/.Net

• Advantages
• Ease of learning for non-developers
  Integration with existing Microsoft Products
  Ease of extension via COM objects Comes free
  with most Windows operating systems Developed
  by Microsoft
• Disadvantages
• - Strongest in a Windows environment, weaker on
  Unix or other platforms - Developed by Microsoft
  (licensing)

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Java Server Pages - JSP

• Advantages
• Strong integration with JavaBeans and other
  elements Ease of use for experienced Java
  developers Rapid Application Development
  Adept scaling to heavy loads Cross-platform
  compatibility Open Source availability
• Disadvantages
• - Slower speed due to being more strict and
  robust (JSP pages often run slower than similar
  pages using technologies such as PHP, for
  example)- Steeper learning curve when compared
  to many other technologies

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Common Gateway Interface - CGI

• Advantages
• Ability to write in a multitude of languages
  Speed and efficiency Powerful and robust
  nature Ability to compile or interpret as
  appropriate Cross-platform compatibility
• Disadvantages
• - Steeper learning curve than newer
  technologies- Decrease in available resources
  associated with, becoming more and more old
  fashioned- Slower running speed as opposed to
  newer technologies

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ColdFusion from Macromedia

• Advantages
• Simple to learn and use, fast application
  development time Cross-platform - currently
  supported on Solaris, Linux, Windows, HP-UX with
  code compatibility between platforms
  Comprehensive feature set including built in
  graphing and charting functions, and Verity
  search engine Scales well to heavy loads Well
  supported by authoring tools Well documented
• Disadvantages
• - ColdFusion's core features are extensive,
  simple and effective. But extending its features
  can involve added complexity- Costs more than
  competing platforms. A freeware version is
  available, but the features are limited.

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Before the coding IDE for PHP

• IDE (Integrated Development Environment )
• Zend Studio (www.zend.com)
• Zend Studio 5 is the only Integrated Development
  Environment (IDE) available for professional
  developers that encompasses all the development
  components necessary for the full PHP application
  lifecycle. Through a comprehensive set of
  editing, debugging, analysis, optimization and
  database tools, Zend Studio 5 speeds development
  cycles and simplifies complex projects.
• PHPEclipse Plugin for Eclipse
• http//www.eclipse.org
• http//www.phpeclipse.de/tiki-view_articles.php
• Macromedia Dreamweaver

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Before the coding Install PHP

• Requirements
• Web Server (Apache)
• http//httpd.apache.org/download.cgi
• PHP4
• http//www.thesitewizard.com/archive/php4install.s
  html
• MySQL (Optional)
• http//dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/windows-ins
  tallation.html

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References

• http//academ.hvcc.edu/kantopet/php/index.php?pag
  ephphistoryparentwhatisphp
• http//www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?pdictS
  tringexactAcronymPHP
• http//www.php.net/manual/en/migration5.phpmigrat
  ion5.changes
• http//www.php.net/manual/en/faq.languages.php