Purpose of PHP: PHP limits and other scripting languages

[Kodie_Killian]

I am learning PHP for mySQL database purposes but wanted to use it exclusively. I am finding that when I search how to do something, even when on PHP only sites, that I often get an answer using javascript. I was under the impression that PHP could do everything any other scripting language can do.

Must I use multiple languages at the same time? Since some browsers can not process javascript or don't have scripting enabled, I was hoping to use PHP as a server-side script and have it give the browser the html code and not worry about wether or not the clients browser had scripting enabled. I guess PHP doesn't solve this problem hunh?

What is the purpose of PHP? Is it strickly for server-side scripting? Some how I am missing the point....

If I have to use javascript, how can the javascript use the PHP variables?

Thanks

Kodie

[scoppc]

Yep, PHP is obviously server-side scripting that doesnt do any client-side stuffs. So, you should rely on Javascript to do client-related functions, for example:

1. Do you notice the smiley icon? when you clicked em, they will add themselves to the textarea. 🙂
2. Open a new window
3. Quickly check your input and warn you before your data is submitted to the server
   and countless others, you name them.

Javascript can take benefit from PHP in the way that you can echo or print the value of, let say, daily news stored in MySQL database to the scrolling news javascript. This is just an example.

I wouldnt say that it is 'multiple languages' at the same time. In fact, a php website will consists of (at least for me) HTML/XHTML, Javascript, CSS, PHP, and a database. So, you'd better know em enough to build a dynamic website. 😉