Can html be used in php?

PHP Include Files

The include (or require) statement takes all the text/code/markup that exists in the specified file and copies it into the file that uses the include statement.

Table of Contents Show

PHP Include Files
PHP include and require Statements
PHP include Examples
PHP Exercises
Help Others, Please Share

Including files is very useful when you want to include the same PHP, HTML, or text on multiple pages of a website.

PHP include and require Statements

It is possible to insert the content of one PHP file into another PHP file (before the server executes it), with the include or require statement.

The include and require statements are identical, except upon failure:

require will produce a fatal error (E_COMPILE_ERROR) and stop the script
include will only produce a warning (E_WARNING) and the script will continue

So, if you want the execution to go on and show users the output, even if the include file is missing, use the include statement. Otherwise, in case of FrameWork, CMS, or a complex PHP application coding, always use the require statement to include a key file to the flow of execution. This will help avoid compromising your application's security and integrity, just in-case one key file is accidentally missing.

Including files saves a lot of work. This means that you can create a standard header, footer, or menu file for all your web pages. Then, when the header needs to be updated, you can only update the header include file.

Syntax

include 'filename';

require 'filename';

PHP include Examples

Example 1

Assume we have a standard footer file called "footer.php", that looks like this:

<?php
echo "<p>Copyright © 1999-" . date("Y") . " W3Schools.com</p>";
?>

To include the footer file in a page, use the include statement:

Example

<h2>Welcome to my home page!</h2>
<p>Some text.</p>
<p>Some more text.</p>
<?php include 'footer.php';?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

Example 2

Assume we have a standard menu file called "menu.php":

<?php
echo '<a href="/default.asp">Home</a> -
<a href="/html/default.asp">HTML Tutorial</a> -
<a href="/css/default.asp">CSS Tutorial</a> -
<a href="/js/default.asp">JavaScript Tutorial</a> -
<a href="default.asp">PHP Tutorial</a>';
?>

All pages in the Web site should use this menu file. Here is how it can be done (we are using a <div> element so that the menu easily can be styled with CSS later):

Example

<h2>Welcome to my home page!</h2>
<p>Some text.</p>
<p>Some more text.</p>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

Example 3

Assume we have a file called "vars.php", with some variables defined:

<?php
$color='red';
$car='BMW';
?>

Then, if we include the "vars.php" file, the variables can be used in the calling file:

Example

<h2>Welcome to my home page!</h2>
<?php include 'vars.php';
echo "I have a $color $car.";
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

The require statement is also used to include a file into the PHP code.

However, there is one big difference between include and require; when a file is included with the include statement and PHP cannot find it, the script will continue to execute:

Example

<h2>Welcome to my home page!</h2>
<?php include 'noFileExists.php';
echo "I have a $color $car.";
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

If we do the same example using the require statement, the echo statement will not be executed because the script execution dies after the require statement returned a fatal error:

Example

<h2>Welcome to my home page!</h2>
<?php require 'noFileExists.php';
echo "I have a $color $car.";
?>

</body>
</html>

Run example »

Use require when the file is required by the application.

Use include when the file is not required and application should continue when file is not found.

PHP Exercises

If we want to use PHP in the Html document, then we have to follow the steps which are given below. Using these simple steps, we can easily add the PHP code.

Step 1: Firstly, we have to type the Html code in any text editor or open the existing Html file in the text editor in which we want to use the PHP.

Step 2: Now, we have to place the cursor in any tag of the <body> tag where we want to add the code of PHP. And, then we have to type the start and end tag of PHP.

Step 3: After then, we have to type the code of PHP between the tags of PHP.

Step 4: When we successfully add the PHP code, then we have to save the Html file and then run the file in the browser.