PHP, a Hypertext preprocessor, has been a fundamental part of web development for a long time. Large-scale websites on the internet are built with PHP. Developers often choose PHP due to its flexibility and user-friendly nature. Also, it has strong community support. It is an ideal language for creating dynamic websites and applications with custom PHP development. 

In this article, we will explore what type of website you can build with PHP. And also take a look at the top example of that framework. 

Different Types of Websites Built with PHP

1) Content Management Systems (CMS)

PHP is known for the various well-known CMS platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. CMS platforms facilitate the task easily to allow users to create, handle and publish digital content without advanced coding skills. PHP empowers developers to personalize themes, plugins, and features to fulfill specific needs.

WordPress: WordPress is the most widely used CMS globally, powering over 40% of all websites on the internet. Originally developed as a blogging platform, it has evolved into a versatile CMS suitable for various types of websites, including blogs, business websites, e-commerce stores, and more. WordPress utilizes PHP for its backend operations, allowing users to easily create, manage, and publish content with its intuitive interface and extensive plugin ecosystem.

2) E-commerce Websites

PHP is commonly used in building e-commerce platforms such as Magento, WooCommerce, and Shopify. These platforms utilize PHP's server-side scripting abilities to handle intricate transactions, oversee inventory, and offer secure payment gateways. The flexibility of PHP enables developers to craft personalized features that cater to the requirements of online businesses.

Magento: Magento is a powerful open-source e-commerce platform built on PHP. It offers a comprehensive suite of features for creating and managing online stores, including product catalog management, order processing, payment gateways, and customer service tools. Magento's flexibility and scalability make it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, seeking to establish a robust online presence.

3) Social Networking Platforms

Famous social media apps rely on PHP for their backend infrastructure. PHP's ability to handle large volumes of data, interact with databases, and manage user sessions makes it well-suited for building social networking platforms. Developers can utilize frameworks like Laravel and Symfony to streamline development and ensure scalability. One of the best examples of a social networking platform that was built with PHP is Facebook.

Facebook: Facebook, the largest social networking platform in the world, relies heavily on PHP for its backend infrastructure. PHP enables Facebook to handle millions of user interactions per second, manage vast amounts of data, and deliver personalized content to users' feeds in real time. Facebook's PHP-based architecture has been optimized over the years to ensure high performance, reliability, and scalability. It is one of the most prominent examples of PHP-powered social networking platforms.

4) Web Applications

PHP is widely used for developing various web applications, ranging from customer relationship management (CRM) systems to project management tools. Its robustness, coupled with frameworks like CodeIgniter, Yii, and Zend, enables developers to create feature-rich applications with functionalities such as user authentication, data manipulation, and API integration. One of the best CRM solution examples that works with PHP is Salesforce. 

Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform that leverages PHP for its web application development. It provides businesses with a suite of tools for managing customer interactions, sales pipelines, marketing campaigns, and more. Salesforce's web application, built with PHP, enables users to access their CRM data from anywhere, anytime, and on any device, empowering sales teams to drive productivity and customer engagement effectively.

5) Blogging Platforms

PHP powers numerous blogging platforms, including WordPress (the most popular one). Its server-side scripting capabilities facilitate dynamic content generation, user authentication, and content management. Developers can extend the functionality of these platforms through plugins and themes, offering users a highly customizable blogging experience.

Medium: Medium is a popular blogging platform that allows users to publish and discover content on a wide range of topics. Built with PHP, Medium offers a clean and minimalist interface for writers to focus on their content creation without distractions. PHP powers the backend operations of Medium, including user authentication, content management, and social sharing features, making it a preferred choice for bloggers seeking a simple yet powerful platform to share their ideas with the world.

6) Forums and Discussion Boards

PHP is commonly used to create online forums and discussion boards like phpBB and vBulletin. These platforms rely on PHP to handle user interactions, manage threads, and store user-generated content in databases. PHP's flexibility allows developers to implement features such as user moderation, notifications, and search functionality.

One of the best examples of forum submission is Reddit. Reddit is a social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website that relies on PHP for its backend functionality. With millions of active users and thousands of communities (subreddits), Reddit facilitates discussions on virtually any topic imaginable. PHP powers Reddit's user authentication, content moderation, voting algorithms, and database interactions, enabling seamless communication and engagement among its diverse user base.

7) Web Services and APIs

Developers can use PHP to create web services and APIs that facilitate communication between various systems and applications. By utilizing frameworks like Slim and Lumen, they can build lightweight APIs for tasks like exchanging data, authentication, and integrating with third-party services.

Stripe is a popular payment processing platform that provides APIs for developers to integrate secure payment functionality into their web and mobile applications. Built with PHP, Stripe's APIs enable developers to accept payments, manage subscriptions, and handle complex financial transactions with ease. PHP powers the backend infrastructure of Stripe, ensuring reliability, security, and scalability for millions of businesses worldwide.

8) Educational Platforms

PHP is commonly employed in constructing educational platforms and learning management systems (LMS). These systems make online learning easier by offering functions like managing courses, enrolling students, and providing assessment tools. The flexibility of PHP enables developers to design adaptable solutions that cater to the various requirements of educational institutions.

Moodle is an open-source learning management system (LMS) widely used by educational institutions and corporate training programs. Powered by PHP, Moodle offers a comprehensive set of features for creating online courses, managing student enrollment, delivering instructional content, and assessing learning outcomes. 

Conclusion

PHP is a versatile programming language that can be used for various types of websites and applications. It is suitable for websites from basic blogs to advanced e-commerce platforms and social networking sites. With its extensive ecosystem of frameworks, libraries, and tools, PHP empowers developers to build robust, scalable, and feature-rich solutions to meet the evolving demands of the digital landscape.

However, choosing the PHP framework is another crucial decision for developers. Hire dedicated PHP developers for the best development for your upcoming websites. Experienced developers help you to choose the best framework for your project because they already work with professionals. Ultimately, the right PHP framework depends on your project's specific needs, team capabilities, and long-term goals.