What Is a .php File? .php Format, MIME & How to Open

Quick facts

Extension.php

File typePHP Script

MIME typeapplication/x-httpd-php

CategoryData & Text

Charset—

CompressibleYes

Format familyphp

What is .php

What is a .php file?

A .php file is a PHP Script — PHP scripting language source file.

In the mime-db registry it maps to application/x-httpd-php, and it is marked as compressible. When serving .php over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to application/x-httpd-php and is used by Hack, PHP among others — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .php files

Use VS Code or PhpStorm to open and edit .php files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: application/x-httpd-php

Common software that reads/writes .php:

VS CodePhpStormPHP

Relation chain

.phpextension of

format

phpserved as

mime type

application/x-httpd-phpsent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related MIME types

application/x-httpd-php

.php

text/x-php

.php

Related programming languages

Common uses

Configuration files
Data interchange between systems
API request and response payloads
Logs and data exports

How to edit .php files

Open the file with VS Code, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .php files

Create a new file and save it with the .php extension, or export this format from VS Code.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .php files?

Common options include VS Code, PhpStorm, PHP. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .php file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .php extension.

What is the relationship between .php and the application/x-httpd-php MIME type?

application/x-httpd-php is the media type identifier used for .php files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-08-18

Explore this reference