Format guide
What is PHP?
PHP source file is a php source file stored as plain text for compilers and editors, created by Language / tooling ecosystem. PHP files are source text. Convert between text formats for docs or archives — keep originals in version control.
PHP format specifications
- Full name
- PHP source file
- Kind
- source code / plain text
- File extension
- .php
- MIME type
- application/x-httpd-php
- Developer / standard
- Language / tooling ecosystem
- Compression
- None (plain text)
- Quality model
- Lossless / not lossy
- Container
- No / single bitstream typical
- Common codecs
- —
- Technical sources
- —
- Transparency
- Not supported
- Animation
- No (still / non-animated typical use)
- Typical size
- Tiny to moderate depending on project size
- Browser support
- Opened as text/download — not a visual format
- Compatibility
- Any code editor; language tooling varies
PHP compression & quality
PHP is plain text. “Compression” only applies if you ZIP/GZ the file for transport.
Quality: Exact text — no visual compression
Typical size: Tiny to moderate depending on project size
Transparency & animation
Not an image format — transparency does not apply.
Not an animation format.
PHP metadata
Usually none beyond encoding and editor settings.
Best use cases for PHP
- PHP projects
- Source control
- Code review and diffs
When to avoid PHP
- End-user document sharing
- Non-technical email attachments without context
Advantages
- Human-readable
- Diff-friendly
- Tiny compared with binaries
Disadvantages
- Not a user document format
- Needs the right runtime/toolchain
- Easy to break with bad encoding
Compatibility
Any code editor; language tooling varies
Browsers: Opened as text/download — not a visual format
Software support
- VS Code
- JetBrains IDEs
- Git
- Format Convertly (text paths)
Device support
- Developer workstations
How to open PHP
Open PHP files in any code editor (VS Code, Vim, JetBrains).
How to convert PHP
Convert PHP to other text formats (TXT, MD, PDF where supported) privately in Format Convertly — do not upload proprietary source to random sites.
Popular PHP conversions
Related formats
PHP tools
Tools extend the format graph beyond one-off conversion — compression, metadata, and utilities for real workflows.
PHP FAQ
What is a PHP file?
PHP is PHP source file. It is plain text source for developers.
Is converting PHP lossy?
Text conversion is usually lossless for characters, but formatting/semantics can change if you target documents like PDF/DOCX.
Are my PHP files uploaded on Format Convertly?
No. PHP conversion runs in your browser. Files are not sent to Format Convertly servers for processing.