Python to PHP

There are many similarities between Python and PHP, but there significant differences:

  • PHP variables start with $ signs
  • PHP statements must end with a semi-colon
  • Instead of indentation, PHP uses pairs of curly brackets { } to enclose blocks of code inside conditional statements and loops.
  • Conditions are enclosed in parentheses ( ).

Case Sensitivity

  • PHP keywords are not case sensitive (ECHO = echo = Echo)
  • PHP variables are case sensitive ($counter != $Counter)

Comments

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# A single line comment
''' A multi
line comment '''
PHP
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// A single line comment
# Another single line comment
/* A multi
line comment */

Printing

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print(f"Counter = {counter}")
PHP
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echo "Counter = ".$counter;   /* using concatenation */
echo "Counter = $counter";    /* simple variables inside string */

Assignment

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counter = 0
password = "xyz"
password = 'xyz'
 
MAXSTUDENTS = 20
 
colours = ["red", "blue", "green"]
  
computerIDs = [""] * 10
computerId[0] = "AHS-210012"
  
fruits = []
fruits.append("Apple")
PHP
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$counter = 0;
$password = "xyz";
 
define("MAXSTUDENTS", 20);
 
$colours = array("red", "blue", "green");
  
$computerIDs = array_fill(0, 10, "");
$computerId[0] = "AHS-210012";
  
$fruits = array();
array_push($fruits, "Apple");

Operators

Arithmetic operators + – * /  ** (exponentiation) % (modulus) are same in Python and PHP

Python
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total = total + number
total += number
  
fullname = forename + " " + surname
PHP
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$total = $total + $number;
$total += $number;
  
$fullname = $forename . " " . $surname;

Predefined  Functions

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nameLength = len(fullname)
dice = random.randint(1,6)
noOfFruits = len(fruits)
PHP
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$nameLength = strlen($fullname);
$dice = rand(1,6);
$noOfFruits = count($fruits);

Conditional Statements

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if guess == number:
     print("You guessed the number")
elif guess < number:
    print("Your guess is too small")
else
    print("Your guess is too big")
PHP
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if ($guess == $number) {
    echo "You guessed the number";
} elseif ($guess < $number) {
    echo "Your guess is too small";
} else {
    echo "Your guess is too big";
}

Switch Statements

Python does not have a switch statement. The simplest equivalent is an if..elif..elif..else statement.

PHP
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switch ($favcolor) {
  case "red":
    echo "Your favourite colour is red!";
    break;
  case "blue":
    echo "Your favourite colour is blue!";
    break;
  case "green":
    echo "Your favourite colour is green!";
    break;
  default:
    echo "Your favourite colour is neither red, blue, nor green!";
}

Fixed Loops (by index)

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for x in range(10):
    print(x)
PHP
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for ($x = 0; $x < 10; $x++) {
  echo "<p>$x</p>\n";
}

Fixed Loops (by item)

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colours = ["red", "blue", "green"]
for colour in colours:
    print(colour)
PHP
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colours = array("red", "blue", "green");
foreach ($colours as $colour) {
  echo "<p>$colour</p>\n";
}