Question

Just a curious question. I was wondering is it possible to read a sites php/server side codes? Is there any software/method that can be used to do so? Sometimes for educational purposes, i really want to see how people form the backend infrastructure of their sites.

Answer 1

It is only possible if the site’s owner intentionally makes the code publicly available, or if the site has a very critical security hole. Usually, no, you cannot read other people’s server-side code.

After all, we’d have huge problems if you could just read any server-side code you wanted. If, say, a bank’s website were built in PHP, it would be important that raw PHP files could not be read by the public: they might contain private data like database passwords, or simply make it much, much easier to find other key security issues, since, after all, which is easier—finding problems with code you can see, or code you can’t see? As much as I am a fan of open-source coding, I would not put my money in any bank that makes its source code available. It’s just too risky.

However, if you’re interested in learning, there are plenty of open-source web applications out there. Try searching Github for, say, projects written in PHP. It’s definitely a good idea to read other people’s code, and I’m sure you could find some stellar examples of real-world code if you know where to look. Additionally, if you ask nicely, a website owner may be willing to share parts of the source code with you, though probably not all of it, for security reasons. Couldn’t hurt to ask.