Current Location: Home> Latest Articles> PHP E-commerce Website Development Guide: Build a Simple Online Store from Scratch

PHP E-commerce Website Development Guide: Build a Simple Online Store from Scratch

gitbox 2025-08-05

Building a Simple E-commerce Website

With the rapid growth of the internet and e-commerce, more people want to create their own online stores. This article will guide you step-by-step on how to build a basic e-commerce website using PHP and MySQL, helping you quickly grasp the core development process of an online store.

Environment Setup: Installing Apache, PHP, and MySQL

Before development, you need to prepare the server environment. For Windows users, it is recommended to use an integrated environment like XAMPP, which includes Apache, PHP, and MySQL, making it easy to get started quickly.


  echo "Hello World";
?>

Database Design

Database structure design is crucial for an e-commerce site. You need tables to store product and order information to ensure data is stored logically and accessed efficiently.

Product Table

The product table stores key product information such as product ID, name, price, and stock quantity, facilitating management and display.


  echo "Product Table Structure";
?>

Order Table

The order table records user order details, including order ID, user information, order time, products, and quantities, supporting subsequent order management and queries.


  echo "Order Table Structure";
?>

Implementing Core Store Features

Display Product List

Retrieve all product information from the product table and display it on the page, allowing users to browse and select products easily.


  echo "Show Product List Code";
?>

Add Products to Cart

When users click the "Add to Cart" button, product information is stored in the shopping cart. The cart can be implemented using PHP Sessions to ensure a smooth user experience.


  echo "Add Product to Cart Code (Using Session)";
?>

Checkout Shopping Cart

When users proceed to checkout, the system generates orders based on cart contents and updates product stock in real-time to maintain accurate inventory data.


  echo "Checkout Cart Code";
?>

Website UI Design

Besides backend functionality, a good user interface enhances the shopping experience. A well-structured layout and clean visual style help increase the store’s appeal and usability.


  echo "Website UI Design";
?>

Conclusion

After reading this article, you have learned the basic process of developing a simple e-commerce website using PHP. Although real-world e-commerce projects may be more complex, this content is enough to start your own online store development journey. Keep improving and optimizing to create a better platform.