20. What is the meaning of terms like PHP, JavaScript, Flash, HTML?

PHP is a script language and interpreter. PHP is also an alternative to ASP technology. Just like ASP, the PHP script is embedded within a Web page along with its HTML codes.

An HTML page that includes a PHP script is typically given a file name suffix of ".php". Both are used while creating "dynamic HTML pages, " where content called from the servers varies based on the results of script interpretation.

Every time a user requests a page, the Web server calls PHP to interpret and perform the operations required to present the page. PHP is a widely-used scripting language that is especially suited for Web development as it can be embedded into HTML.

Javascript is a scripting language, developed by Netscape to enable Web developers design interactive websites. Javascript ability to interact with HTML source code, is an important reason for its choice as it enables developers to add dynamic content.

It would be worth noting that script languages are easier and faster to code than languages such as C and C++.

Some things that JavaScript makes possible are :

  1. Auto date change on a Web page
  2. Create popup window for linked pages
  3. Change text or images when a mouse is rolled over

Flash was introduced in 1996, and is currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems.

  1. Flash is commonly used to create animation, advertisements, and various web page components.
  2. It is also used to integrate video into web pages, manipulate graphics.
  3. Several software products, systems, and devices are able to create or display Flash content, including Adobe Flash Player, which is available free for most common web browsers, some mobile phones and for other electronic devices (using Flash Lite).

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is a language devised that allows us to create websites. It is easy to learn and can help you create some very interesting websites as well.

HTML has a fixed number of tags and attributes which can be used to create web pages. The internet browser has the capability of reading/interpreting each tag used in a code and can show the result accordingly. An HTML document starts with a tag which ends with a closing tag. The entire text, tables, images, buttons etc. are contained within the opening and closing tags. There are various tags used when creating web pages/websites.