---
title: ".php file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .php file is a PHP Source. Server-side web code — it runs on the server, so browsers never see the source. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/php/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .php files

**.php file: PHP Source**

Server-side web code — it runs on the server, so browsers never see the source.

## What opens a .php file

- **Windows:** Visual Studio Code, PhpStorm, Notepad++, XAMPP (to run it)
- **macOS:** Visual Studio Code, PhpStorm, MAMP (to run it)
- **Linux:** Visual Studio Code, Text Editor (built in), php -S (to run it)

## What a .php file is

PHP powers WordPress and a large share of the web. A .php file is plain text mixing code with HTML, executed by the server which sends only the resulting page to the visitor. Double-clicking one locally shows the code rather than a web page unless you have a local server such as XAMPP, MAMP or PHP's own built-in server running.

## Converting it

A .php file is commonly converted to .html or .txt. It is a plain text format, so any text editor can open and edit it directly.

## Details

- **Extension:** .php
- **Full name:** PHP Source
- **Category:** Code and scripts
- **MIME type:** application/x-httpd-php
- **Created by:** The PHP Group
- **Format:** Plain text

## Common questions

### How do I open a .php file?

On Windows use Visual Studio Code; on macOS use Visual Studio Code; on Linux use Visual Studio Code. Server-side web code — it runs on the server, so browsers never see the source.

### What is a .php file?

PHP Source. PHP powers WordPress and a large share of the web. A .php file is plain text mixing code with HTML, executed by the server which sends only the resulting page to the visitor.

### Can I convert a .php file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .html or .txt, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.html — HyperText Markup Language](https://atoneplace.net/file/html/)
- [.js — JavaScript Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/js/)
- [.css — Cascading Style Sheet](https://atoneplace.net/file/css/)
- [.py — Python Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/py/)
- [.java — Java Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/java/)
- [.tsx — TypeScript Source (JSX)](https://atoneplace.net/file/tsx/)
- [.cpp — C++ Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/cpp/)
- [.c — C Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/c/)
- [.cs — C# Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/cs/)
- [.go — Go Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/go/)
- [.rs — Rust Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/rs/)
- [.rb — Ruby Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/rb/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)