PHP Decline: Is It Really Dying in 2025? Real Facts

When people talk about PHP decline, the perceived drop in popularity of the PHP programming language for web development. Also known as PHP being outdated, it's a myth that keeps repeating—but doesn't match reality. PHP isn't disappearing. In 2025, it still runs over 77% of all websites that use server-side code, including giants like WordPress, Wikipedia, and Etsy. The real story isn't about death—it's about evolution. Old versions of PHP, like 7.4 and 8.1, are being phased out because they're insecure and unsupported. But modern PHP, especially PHP 8.3, is faster, safer, and more powerful than ever. It’s not the language that’s fading; it’s the outdated practices clinging to it.

What people confuse for decline is actually a cleanup. Companies are upgrading from ancient PHP codebases to modern frameworks like Laravel and Symfony. These tools turn PHP into a professional, scalable platform that competes with Node.js and Python in performance and structure. You don’t see PHP in trendy new startups? That’s because those startups often use tools built on top of PHP—like WordPress sites—without ever touching the code. The underlying engine is still there, quietly powering the web. Meanwhile, freelance developers who specialize in PHP for WordPress, WooCommerce, or legacy enterprise systems are still in high demand. The jobs haven’t vanished—they’ve just gotten more focused.

There’s a clear difference between PHP outdated, the use of unsupported, insecure PHP versions that should no longer be run. Also known as legacy PHP, it's a risk, not a standard. and PHP web development, the active practice of building websites and applications using modern PHP versions and frameworks. Also known as modern PHP, it’s a stable, well-supported field.. One is dangerous. The other is profitable. If you’re learning PHP today, you’re not chasing a fading trend—you’re learning how to maintain, fix, and improve systems that power the global web. And that’s not going away anytime soon.

Some say JavaScript or Python are replacing PHP. But that’s like saying cars replaced roads. PHP handles server-side logic—where data lives, where forms are processed, where users log in. JavaScript runs in the browser. Python handles AI and data. They don’t replace each other; they work together. A WordPress site uses PHP to pull content from a database, JavaScript to make buttons work, and CSS to make it look good. All three are needed. You can’t ditch one and expect the rest to hold up.

So if you’ve heard "PHP is dead," ignore the noise. The real question isn’t whether PHP is declining—it’s whether you’re using the right version. If you’re still on PHP 7.4, you’re the problem. If you’re on PHP 8.3, you’re ahead of most. This collection dives into what’s actually happening with PHP in 2025: which versions to avoid, why Laravel is changing the game, how WordPress keeps PHP alive, and whether learning it still makes sense for your career. You’ll find real answers—not hype, not fear, just what’s true.