Php was at the forefront of dynamic websites. Early versions also harbored a lot of security vulnerabilities. Php catered to shit browsers in the early 00s. Every single company I have worked with that depended on PHP has been focused on non-technical excellence. It's a bad language. Getting good at using it is a waste, in any state it's been in for 20+ years. Making it work is about appeasing your business overlords and leaving better things off the table.