The document provides an introduction to PHP basics including:
- PHP code is embedded in HTML using tags and the server executes the PHP code and substitutes output into the HTML page.
- PHP supports variables, data types, operators, control structures like if/else statements and loops. Useful built-in functions allow working with forms, cookies, files, time and date.
- Server-side programming alternatives like CGI, ASP, Java Servlets, and PHP are discussed. PHP was created in 1995 and is now widely used as a free, open-source scripting language for server-side web development.