7 Easy Ways to Display Syntax Highlighted PHP Code

If you’re working with PHP code and want to display it on your website or blog, syntax highlighting is a must. It makes your code easier to read and understand, especially for beginners. In this article, we’ll explore seven simple ways to display syntax-highlighted PHP code. Whether you’re a developer, blogger, or just someone who loves coding, these methods will help you showcase your code beautifully.

Key Takeaways

• Syntax highlighting makes PHP code easier to read and understand.
• You can use built-in PHP functions, online tools, or libraries to highlight code.
• Plugins and editors are great for quick and easy solutions.
• Always test your code display to ensure it looks good on all devices.

Why Syntax Highlighting Matters

Syntax highlighting is like adding colours to a black-and-white picture. It makes your code stand out by using different colours for keywords, variables, and symbols. This helps readers quickly spot errors, understand the structure, and follow along.

For example, without syntax highlighting, this PHP code:

<?php  
echo "Hello, World!";  
?>

Looks plain and boring. But with syntax highlighting, it becomes:

<?php  
echo "Hello, World!";  
?>

See the difference?

7 Easy Ways to Display Syntax-Highlighted PHP Code

Discover 7 simple and effective methods to display syntax-highlighted PHP code, making your code easier to read and share on websites, blogs, or projects.

1. Use PHP’s Built-inhighlight_string()Function

PHP has a built-in function calledhighlight_string()that automatically highlights your code. Just wrap your code in this function, and it will generate HTML with colours.

Example:

<?php  
highlight_string('<?php echo "Hello, World!"; ?>');  
?>

This is quick and doesn’t require any extra tools.

2. Use Online Syntax Highlighters

If you don’t want to mess with code, use online tools like Quick Highlighter or tohtml.com. These tools let you paste your PHP code and generate highlighted HTML that you can copy and paste into your website.

3. Use a Code Highlighting Library

Libraries like Prism.js or Highlight.js are popular for syntax highlighting. They’re easy to set up and work with many programming languages, including PHP.

Steps to use Highlight.js:

Include the library in your HTML:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/highlight.js/11.7.0/styles/default.min.css">  
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/highlight.js/11.7.0/highlight.min.js"></script>

Wrap your PHP code in<pre><code>tags:

<pre><code class="php">  
<?php  
echo "Hello, World!";  
?>  
</code></pre>

Initialize the library:

<script>hljs.highlightAll();</script>

4. Use WordPress Plugins

If you’re using WordPress, plugins like SyntaxHighlighter Evolved make it easy to display highlighted code. Just install the plugin, wrap your code in shortcodes, and you’re done.

Example:

[syntaxhighlighter language="php"]  
<?php  
echo "Hello, World!";  
?>  
[/syntaxhighlighter]

5. Use Markdown with Highlighting

If you’re writing in Markdown, tools like GitHub Flavored Markdown support syntax highlighting. Just use triple backticks and specify the language:

```php  
<?php  
echo "Hello, World!";  
?>

---

### 6. **Use Code Editors with Export Features**  
Many code editors, like [<a title="Visual Studio Code" href="https://www.webyurt.com/designing-tools">Visual Studio Code</a>](https://code.visualstudio.com/), let you copy code as HTML with syntax highlighting. Just install an extension like “Copy Syntax Highlighted HTML” and export your code.  

---

### 7. **Manually Add CSS Classes**  
If you’re comfortable with HTML and CSS, you can manually add classes to your code for custom highlighting. For example:  
```html  
<pre><code>  
<span class="php-tag">&lt;?php</span>  
<span class="php-echo">echo</span> <span class="php-string">"Hello, World!"</span>;  
<span class="php-tag">?&gt;</span>  
</code></pre>

Then, style the classes in your CSS file.

Which Method Should You Choose?

Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:

Ready to Highlight Your PHP Code?

Now that you know seven easy ways to display syntax-highlighted PHP code, it’s time to pick the method that works best for you. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these tools and techniques will make your code look professional and easy to read.

Try one today and see how much better your code looks!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is syntax highlighting?
Syntax highlighting is a feature that displays code in different colours and fonts to make it easier to read and understand.

2. Can I use syntax highlighting for other languages?
Yes, most tools and libraries support multiple programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, and HTML.

3. Do I need to know coding to use syntax highlighting?
Not necessarily. Online tools and WordPress plugins make it easy for non-technical users to highlight code.

4. Will syntax highlighting affect my website’s performance?
Most syntax highlighting tools are lightweight and won’t slow down your website.

5. Can I customize the colours in syntax highlighting?
Yes, libraries like Prism.js and Highlight.js allow you to customize the colours and styles.

Got more questions? Leave a comment below, and let’s keep the conversation going!