Written by Zachary Janczak
Alright, let’s cut through the noise—PHP isn’t dead, and it never was. If you think otherwise, you’re either out of touch or just following the latest developer trends without actually looking at what’s happening in the real world. Every few years, someone tries to declare PHP obsolete, but here we are in 2025, and PHP is still running over 75% of the web. That’s not some fluke—that’s sheer dominance.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s keep it real—if PHP were some outdated relic, it wouldn’t be running the biggest websites on the planet. Ever heard of Facebook, WordPress, or Wikipedia? Yeah, they all rely on PHP. WordPress alone powers over 40% of all websites, and guess what? It’s all PHP under the hood.
If PHP were dying, companies would be ditching it left and right. But that’s not happening. Instead, businesses are doubling down on PHP because it’s fast, scalable, and battle-tested. Developers who actually work in the field know it’s still one of the most reliable and profitable languages out there.
My First Encounter with PHP (Upstate NY, 12 Years Old, Bored in the Winter)
I still remember the first time I touched PHP. It was winter in upstate New York, and I was bored out of my mind. Too cold to go outside, too restless to do nothing. I got my hands on a book about web development, and before I knew it, I was writing my first lines of PHP on a dusty old computer. Within a week, I had built my first dynamic website, and suddenly, the internet wasn’t just something I used—it was something I could create.
Fast forward to today, and I’m still using PHP. Why? Because it works. It’s practical, powerful, and gets the job done without the over-engineered nonsense you find in a lot of newer languages.
PHP Keeps Getting Better
The people calling PHP outdated clearly haven’t touched it since PHP 5. If you’re one of them, let me update you: PHP 7 and 8 brought massive performance improvements, JIT compilation, strong typing, and security enhancements. It’s fast, it’s modern, and it’s competing head-to-head with languages that claim to be the “future.”
PHP 8+ is faster than Python, easier to deploy than Node.js, and doesn’t require the headache of Java. If you’re still pretending PHP is stuck in 2004, you’re the one who needs to catch up.
The “Cool Kids” Argument is B.S.
I get it—some developers want to chase whatever’s trending. One day it’s Ruby on Rails, the next it’s some JavaScript framework that’ll be outdated in a year. Meanwhile, PHP has stayed relevant, accessible, and insanely profitable.
If you’re ignoring PHP, you’re ignoring one of the most widely used, high-paying, and rock-solid programming languages in the world. I’ve made a career off of PHP, and so have millions of other developers. It’s not going anywhere.
Deployment is Stupid Easy
Want to deploy a Python or Node.js app? Have fun dealing with virtual environments, package managers, and hosting nightmares. Meanwhile, PHP developers can literally drop their code on any shared hosting provider and be live in minutes. It’s that simple.
For businesses, that means less hassle, lower costs, and faster results. That’s why PHP still dominates web development—it just works.
The Future of PHP is Strong
The PHP Foundation is pushing the language forward, Laravel is one of the best web frameworks in existence, and PHP remains the top choice for CMS platforms, eCommerce solutions, and custom web applications.
So next time someone tells you PHP is dead, ask them how they think the internet is still running. Because the truth is, PHP isn’t just alive—it’s thriving.
Need a high-performance PHP website?
Redline Web Design specializes in custom PHP development for businesses that need real results. Let’s build something great together.
📞 (315) 400-2420
💻 Contact Us