PHP 8 in 2026: why PHP is still a great choice for web development

PHP is used on roughly three out of four websites whose server-side language is known – including WordPress, WooCommerce and countless custom solutions. With PHP 8 the language has become faster, safer and more modern.

What is new in PHP 8

• Better performance and a JIT compiler for heavy computations.
• Named arguments make code easier to read.
• match expressions are a safer replacement for switch.
• Enums and readonly properties give clearer data models.

enum Status: string {
    case Paid = 'paid';
    case Pending = 'pending';
}

$label = match ($order->status) {
    Status::Paid    => 'Paid',
    Status::Pending => 'Pending',
};

Secure database code with PDO

With PDO and parameterised queries, user input never becomes part of the SQL code. That closes the door on SQL injection, one of the most common security holes on the web.

Why choose PHP today?

• Runs on almost every web host – affordable hosting
• Huge ecosystem and many developers – no lock-in
• Mature enough for both small websites and large web applications

Running an older PHP solution? Versions that no longer receive security updates should be upgraded. Read more about our programming services.