Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: PHP
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Dynamic web pages often need to generate content on the server before sending the final HTML to a browser. Server side scripting languages run on the web server, access databases, process form data, and build responses that are then sent to the client. This question checks whether you can identify which of the listed technologies is commonly used as a server side scripting language in traditional web development.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
HTML is a markup language used to structure content, not a scripting language. DHTML (Dynamic HTML) refers to a combination of HTML, CSS, and client side scripting to create interactive pages in the browser. JavaScript is traditionally a client side scripting language that runs in the user's browser, although it can also run on servers through platforms such as Node.js. PHP (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor) is widely recognised as a server side scripting language designed to run on the web server. XML is a markup language used for data representation, not for scripting. Therefore, in the context of exam questions about classic web development, PHP is the correct answer.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify HTML as a markup language that structures page content and does not execute logic on the server.Step 2: Recognise that DHTML describes techniques for making pages dynamic in the browser using HTML, CSS, and client side scripts.Step 3: Recall that JavaScript is primarily executed in the browser for client side interactivity, even if it can also be used on the server in some environments.Step 4: Note that PHP is specifically described in textbooks as a server side scripting language used to process forms, query databases, and generate HTML.Step 5: Understand that XML is for representing and exchanging data and is not used as an executable scripting language.Step 6: Conclude that PHP is the correct choice as the server side scripting language.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, imagine a classic LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) used for building web applications. In such architectures, PHP scripts run on the server, talk to the database, and then output HTML that the browser displays. Users never see the PHP source code because it executes on the server. In contrast, when you view the source of a web page in a browser, you typically see HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which are client side technologies. XML may appear in configuration files or data feeds, but it is not executed as code. This practical mapping confirms that PHP is the correct server side scripting language among the options.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
HTML and XML are markup languages and do not contain executable business logic on their own. DHTML is not a separate language but a concept describing interactive client side techniques that combine HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. JavaScript in basic exam contexts is classified as a client side scripting language, not a server side one. Therefore, none of these alternatives satisfies the requirement of being a primary server side scripting language for generating dynamic content.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse any word ending with ML or any web technology as a scripting language. Another pitfall is to focus on the word dynamic in DHTML and assume that it implies server side behaviour, when in reality it refers to client side interactivity. Some learners may also over generalise JavaScript due to its popularity and forget that it is typically taught as a client side language in foundational courses. Remembering the typical combination of PHP with server side processing and database access helps avoid such errors.
Final Answer:
The technology among the options that is primarily used as a server side scripting language is PHP.
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