PHP Interview Question with their Answer

What's PHP ?
Answer: The PHP Hypertext Preprocessor is a programming language that allows web developers to create dynamic content that interacts with databases. PHP is basically used for developing web based software applications.

What Is a Session?
A session is a logical object created by the PHP engine to allow you to preserve data across subsequent HTTP requests.

There is only one session object available to your PHP scripts at any time. Data saved to the session by a script can be retrieved by the same script or another script when requested from the same visitor.

Sessions are commonly used to store temporary data to allow multiple PHP pages to offer a complete functional transaction for the same visitor.

What is meant by PEAR in php?
Answer1:
PEAR is the next revolution in PHP. This repository is bringing higher level programming to PHP. PEAR is a framework and distribution system for reusable PHP components. It eases installation by bringing an automated wizard, and packing the strength and experience of PHP users into a nicely organised OOP library. PEAR also provides a command-line interface that can be used to automatically install "packages" .

Answer2:
PEAR is short for "PHP Extension and Application Repository" and is pronounced just like the fruit. The purpose of PEAR is to provide:
A structured library of open-sourced code for PHP users
A system for code distribution and package maintenance
A standard style for code written in PHP
The PHP Foundation Classes (PFC),
The PHP Extension Community Library (PECL),
A web site, mailing lists and download mirrors to support the PHP/PEAR community
PEAR is a community-driven project with the PEAR Group as the governing body. The project has been founded by Stig S. Bakken in 1999 and quite a lot of people have joined the project since then.

How can we know the number of days between two given dates using PHP?
Answer : Simple arithmetic:

$date1 = date('Y-m-d');
$date2 = '2006-07-01';
$days = (strtotime() - strtotime()) / (60 * 60 * 24);
echo "Number of days since '2006-07-01': $days";

How can we repair a MySQL table?
Answer : The syntex for repairing a mysql table is:

REPAIR TABLE tablename
REPAIR TABLE tablename QUICK
REPAIR TABLE tablename EXTENDED

This command will repair the table specified.
If QUICK is given, MySQL will do a repair of only the index tree.
If EXTENDED is given, it will create index row by row.

What is the difference between $message and $$message?
Anwser 1:
$message is a simple variable whereas $$message is a reference variable. Example:
$user = 'bob'
is equivalent to
$holder = 'user';
$$holder = 'bob';

Anwser 2:
They are both variables. But $message is a variable with a fixed name. $$message is a variable who's name is stored in $message. For example, if $message contains "var", $$message is the same as $var.

What Is a Persistent Cookie?
Answer : A persistent cookie is a cookie which is stored in a cookie file permanently on the browser's computer. By default, cookies are created as temporary cookies which stored only in the browser's memory. When the browser is closed, temporary cookies will be erased. You should decide when to use temporary cookies and when to use persistent cookies based on their differences:
*Temporary cookies can not be used for tracking long-term information.
*Persistent cookies can be used for tracking long-term information.
*Temporary cookies are safer because no programs other than the browser can access them.
*Persistent cookies are less secure because users can open cookie files see the cookie values.
What does a special set of tags do in PHP?
The output is displayed directly to the browser.

How can we know that a session is started or not?
Answer : A session starts by session_start() function.
This session_start() is always declared in header portion. it always declares first. then we write session_register().

What are the differences between mysql_fetch_array(), mysql_fetch_object(), mysql_fetch_row()?
Answer 1:
mysql_fetch_array() -> Fetch a result row as a combination of associative array and regular array.
mysql_fetch_object() -> Fetch a result row as an object.
mysql_fetch_row() -> Fetch a result set as a regular array().

Answer 2:
The difference between mysql_fetch_row() and mysql_fetch_array() is that the first returns the results in a numeric array ($row[0], $row[1], etc.), while the latter returns a the results an array containing both numeric and associative keys ($row['name'], $row['email'], etc.). mysql_fetch_object() returns an object ($row->name, $row->email, etc.).

If we login more than one browser windows at the same time with same user and after that we close one window, then is the session is exist to other windows or not? And if yes then why? If no then why?
Answer : Session depends on browser. If browser is closed then session is lost. The session data will be deleted after session time out. If connection is lost and you recreate connection, then session will continue in the browser.

What are the MySQL database files stored in system ?
Answer :
Data is stored in name.myd
Table structure is stored in name.frm
Index is stored in name.myi

What is the difference between PHP4 and PHP5?
Answer : PHP4 cannot support oops concepts and Zend engine 1 is used.

PHP5 supports oops concepts and Zend engine 2 is used.
Error supporting is increased in PHP5.
XML and SQLLite will is increased in PHP5.
Can we use include(abc.PHP) two times in a PHP page makeit.PHP”?
Yes we can include that many times we want, but here are some things to make sure of:
(including abc.PHP, the file names are case-sensitive)
there shouldn't be any duplicate function names, means there should not be functions or classes or variables with the same name in abc.PHP and makeit.php

What is meant by nl2br()?
Anwser1:
nl2br() inserts a HTML tag
before all new line characters \n in a string.

echo nl2br("god bless \n you");

output:
god bless

you