CODEWITHSUNDEEP
php
user188276
user188276

Reputation:

what is the recommended way to embed html codes inside php codes?

Lets say I have 2 cases:

<?php
   print("html code goes here");
?>

v.s

<?php
?>

html codes goes here

<?php
?>

Would the performance for PHP interpreter in the first case be worse than the second one? (Due to the extra overhead of processing inside print function).

So, does anyone have a recommended way to insert html codes inside php codes?

Upvotes: 4

Views: 7235

Answers (5)

Chris Pink
Chris Pink

Reputation: 2037

[head above the parapet] Many of us have learnt templating from WordPress where without embedding php it's virtually impossible to do anything. I can quite understand why people advocate strict MVC or engines such as Smarty but the fact is in the case of WordPress development you need to manipulate output on the fly with php. In fact, coming from that background, I always use to assume that the 'hp' in php was for exactly that reason. So I could write 'normal' looking HTML, do a bit of server-side processing and then return to HTML.

So, from my point of view, the answer to your question, is the second of your examples is much easier to read - one of the fundamentals of elegant coding. But it does depend. If there's a lot of processing to produce a simple piece of html then it may be easier to build a large variable and echo it at the end. I abhore multiple lines of echo statements. In this case I am likely to use a function to keep my HMTL clean. Again WordPress does this a lot; for instance the_title() returns a simple string but does a deal of processing before returning this string so <h1><? the_title(); ?> </h1> reads well.

That is the POV of a WordPress developer who was never formally taught complex coding. I expect to lose a fair amount of reputation points over this answer. [/head above the parapet]

Upvotes: 0

boatcoder
boatcoder

Reputation: 18127

Don't do it that way at all! Use a templating system like Smarty so you can separate your logic from your display code. It also allows you to bring in a designer that can work with html and might not know php at all. Smarty templates read more like HTML than PHP and that can make a big difference when dealing with a designer.

Also, you don't have to worry about your designer messing with your code while doing a find/replace!

Better yet would be to go to a setup like Django or Rails that has clearly delineated code/template setup, but if you can't do that (cheap hosting solutions) then at least use templating. I don't know if smarty is the best thing for PHP, but its far better than both solutions you are proposing.

Upvotes: 0

footy
footy

Reputation: 5941

Never put HTML inside PHP codes unless you specifically intend to do so or its very small. But then again 100% separation is what i recommend. People will have to work very hard to understand your code later if you mix them up. Especially designers who may not be comfortable with php.

The golden rule is separation of the front and back end process to the maximum helps in every aspect. Keep things where they belong. Styles in CSS, Java-scripts in JS, Php in a library folder/files and just use the required classes/functions.

Use short tags <? if required (but i dont like it :P ) also <?= tag for output echo. Besides short tags are better be avoided.

Upvotes: 1

Garrett Smallwood
Garrett Smallwood

Reputation: 389

You should put HTML outside of PHP code in order for better maintenance and scalability. It's also very beneficial to do all your necessary data processing before displaying any data, in order to separate logic and presentation.

Rather then try to think about constantly separating your php and HTML you should instead be in the mind set of separating your backend logic and display logic.

The MVC pattern is a good way of thinking about your code - In order to correctly use PHP you must use MVC (model-view-controller) pattern

Upvotes: 1

OverZealous
OverZealous

Reputation: 39580

Oh, for the sake of all those who edit your code later, please never put any significant amount HTML code inside a string and echo it out. In any language.

HTML belongs in HTML files, formatted and styled by your IDE or editor, so it can be read. Giant string blocks are the biggest cause of HTML errors I have ever seen.

Performance shouldn't matter too much, in this case, but I would assume the second would be faster, because it is streamed directly to the output or buffer.

If you want it to be easier to read, enable short tags, and write it like this:

?><b>blah blah blah</b><?

Plus, with short tags enabled, it's easier to echo out variables:

Hello, <?= $username ?>

If you are using this to generate some sort of reusable library, there are other options.

Upvotes: 5

Related Questions