Summary

Although PHP is primarily a language used for Web development, as you can see, it also provides an equivalent amount of flexibility in the non-Web world. Although using the CLI version of PHP may require you to learn a few new tricks to make professional applications, after you have learned it, you very well might start using PHP for crontab (scheduled) jobs, such as regular database maintenance or even a PHP script to install PHP applications. Although there is always more detail we can go into, with what you have learned in this chapter you are well on your way to taking PHP out of the browser and into client-side applications. For even more powerful CLI scripts, check out Chapter 23 "Accessing the Underlying OS from PHP," which extends CLI's power further with advanced techniques such as forking and general process control.