PHP has fast become the programming language of choice for websites. One reason for its popularity is that PHP is an open-source language, which means that it is freely downloadable. PHP is also multi OS compatible; this means that it can be used on a variety of operating systems like Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
Nevertheless, one of the compelling reasons for PHP to be used in web programming is that it is very effective in controlling databases. This and its support for a wide variety of databases has been one of its defining characteristics. Among the supported databases are:
dBase – Known perhaps as the grandfather of modern databases, it was mainly used in the time of microcomputers such as Apple II, Apple Macintosh, IBM PC and on Unix & CP/M operating systems.
Informix – Now owned by IBM, Informix comes in different shapes and sizes to suit the user’s requirements. The RDBMS is available in editions like Developer, Enterprise, Express, etc much like Microsoft’s offerings of the Windows OS.
Ingres – Another RDBMS, but the difference being that it is an open-source database system, which has been commercially supported in recent times. Ideally speaking, it is used either in large commercial environments or for government applications.
Microsoft SQL Server – This is an enterprise level server, which is widely used in many applications.
MySQL – This database is the most popular open-source RDBMS in the world today. Its speed and short learning curve have made it the obvious choice for millions of website administrators.
mSQL – As the predecessor to MySQL, this was used in conjunction with open-source applications by many due to its low resource demand. However, mSQL itself was not open-source, which may have led to its decline.
Oracle – Produced and marketed by the Oracle Corporation, this RDBMS is very powerful but somewhat expensive to purchase.