Output with echo
Learn to print text and variables to the screen with the echo statement.
What is echo?
echo is a language construct in PHP used to print output. It can print text, numbers or HTML.
The simplest form: echo "Hello"; — this prints Hello to the screen.
echo is not a function but a language construct; therefore it does not require parentheses. You can write echo("Hello"); but the parentheses are optional.
Every statement ends with a semicolon ;.
echo versus print
PHP has two common ways to produce output: echo and print. Both work similarly but have small differences.
echo returns no value and can take multiple parameters separated by commas: echo "a", "b";.
print always returns 1 and takes a single parameter. It can be used inside an expression.
Generally echo is preferred because it is slightly faster and more flexible.
Exercise Print Hello World
Write a PHP block. Use echo to print "Hello World"; add \n at the end of the line.
Show example solution
Write echo with "Hello World" in double quotes and add \n at the end.
Example solution:
<?php
// print the message
echo "Hello World\n";Test yourself
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What does echo "Hello"; do?
<?php echo "Hello"; ?>- Saves the word Hello
- Prints Hello to the screen
- Hides Hello
- Opens the Hello file
Show answer
Prints Hello to the screen — Correct! echo prints Hello to the screen.
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Print text with echo
<?php echo "____"; ?>Show answer
<?php echo "Hello World"; ?> -
echo and print features
- echo
- Returns no value
- Returns 1
- echo "a", "b"
- Prints two values