This document provides an introduction and overview of using PHP as a scripting language for web programming applications in agricultural climatology. It covers background information on PHP and why it is suitable, basic syntax, variables and data types, control structures, functions, file input/output, and provides exercises for users to practice skills like reading weather data files and calculating cumulative growing degree units. The final section outlines a project exercise for users to build on the skills by reading a NASA weather data file and calculating thermal time between user-selected dates.