it would be nice if most of the trap17 users post about this topic.

I think it depends on what your comparing it to. If you mean another server-side language like ASP then I'd say the pros are that it doesn't suck, and that it actually does what it wants you to do and there are no cons because ASP is Microsoft's pathetic attempt at making a sever-side language (just like vista is Microsoft's pathetic attempt at making an operating system... but thats a different story)...

Anyway if you compare using php to just using plain html, I'd say the pros are you have much more control over you website. You can make pages dynamic, connect to databases, etc... The only cons i would see of using php and html over just plain html is that it would take longer because you would have to write both the html and the php. Other than that php actually gives life to a website so it's nothing but good

* It’s an open source Language; that means it's free!.
* The data types and structures of PHP are easy to use and understand, because can identify PHP what you mean, and convert types automatically.
* You don't have to know everything there is to know about PHP to start writing useful programs.
* PHP supports various Plat forms, which means PHP can be installed on almost all operating systems such as Windows-x and Linux.
* PHP doesn’t necessarily require a program compilation, because it runs right on the web browser.
* PHP operations can be done in other languages too.
* It's safe. You can hide the code.
* It's object oriented.

Cons?

I don't know... maybe the error handling... Cannot figure out other disadvantages.

Well there are probably many pros and cons some are real and some are not but I will put out few that I cna remmber right now.

Cons?
Open Source - as much as its safe it is dangerous.
Error Hadnling - This is really badly done in PHP and this is the reason why most people hate it.

Pros?
Free - that is the reason why it is more wide spread then let's say ASP
JAVA (C++) like - which makes people easier to transfer to it.

Well I hope I will not make anyone angree by writing these things down.

Pros -
All the ones listed already are good
Open Source is probably the best because I don't want to pay for anything I don't have to
Most of the syntax is pretty simple and straight-forward

Cons -
Not TRUELY objected oriented (except for maybe PHP5)
It takes a long time to make something really good (at least it does for me) as opposed to something like doing ASP.NET in visual studio. You just design it visually and Microsoft writes the code for you.

I think the fact that it is free and so easy to find information about outweighs all the cons. I taught myself how to program in php and mysql all from the internet, meanwhile I'm still taking the required html and dreamweaver classes at my college... oh and VB.NET (what a joke)...

I would say the biggest PRO about PHP is how dynamic and interactive you can make websites with some not so simple coding. Forums would be the biggest example of how effective PHP can be, but on that not the biggest CON is security and I know everyone has gotten tag by script kiddies or professional hackers and crackers because there files and php coding are secured and clean. I wouldn't mind seeing posts about how keep PHP secure beyond noob level, so as to get a few idea's and work with them.

I'm a noob to this but here are my thoughts.

Pros:
It is versatile and free.
It can spice up webpages and make certain actions work. E.g. e-mail forms.

Cons:
I don't know any except personal issues such as inability to use unless my webserver includes it.