---
title: "Overview of the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/27/2018"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
ms.assetid: 66559249-34c0-409d-b919-9b5bf0c4c9ec
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# Overview of the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server

[!INCLUDE[Driver_PHP_Download](../../includes/driver_php_download.md)]

The [!INCLUDE[ssDriverPHP](../../includes/ssdriverphp_md.md)] is a PHP extension that provides data access to SQL Server 2005 and later versions including Azure SQL Database. The extension provides a procedural interface with the SQLSRV driver and an object-oriented interface with the PDO_SQLSRV driver for accessing data in all versions of SQL Server, including Express, beginning with SQL Server 2005. Support for versions 3.1 and later of the drivers begins with SQL Server 2008. The [!INCLUDE[ssDriverPHP](../../includes/ssdriverphp_md.md)] API includes support for Windows Authentication, transactions, parameter binding, streaming, metadata access, and error handling.  
  
To use the [!INCLUDE[ssDriverPHP](../../includes/ssdriverphp_md.md)], you must have the correct version of SQL Server Native Client or Microsoft ODBC Driver installed on the same computer PHP is running.  For more information, see [System Requirements for the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server](../../connect/php/system-requirements-for-the-php-sql-driver.md).  
  
## In This Section  
  
|Topic|Description|  
|---------|---------------|  
| ![Download-DownArrow-Circled](../../ssms/media/download-icon.png)[To download drivers for PHP for SQL Server](download-drivers-php-sql-server.md) | Links to download Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server. |
|[Release Notes for the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server](../../connect/php/release-notes-php-sql-driver.md)|Lists the features that were added for versions 4.0, 3.2, 3.1, 3.0, and 2.0.|  
|[Support Resources for the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server](../../connect/php/support-resources-for-the-php-sql-driver.md)|Provides links to resources that can be helpful when you are developing applications that use the [!INCLUDE[ssDriverPHP](../../includes/ssdriverphp_md.md)].|  
|[About Code Examples in the Documentation](../../connect/php/about-code-examples-in-the-documentation.md)|Provides information that might be helpful when you run the code examples in this documentation.|  
|   |   |

## Reference

[SQLSRV Driver API Reference](../../connect/php/sqlsrv-driver-api-reference.md)  
[PDO_SQLSRV Driver Reference](../../connect/php/pdo-sqlsrv-driver-reference.md)  
[Constants (Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server)](../../connect/php/constants-microsoft-drivers-for-php-for-sql-server.md)  

## See Also

[Getting Started with the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server](../../connect/php/getting-started-with-the-php-sql-driver.md)

[Programming Guide for the Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server](../../connect/php/programming-guide-for-php-sql-driver.md)

[Example Application (SQLSRV Driver)](../../connect/php/example-application-sqlsrv-driver.md)