WordPress php code for recent posts?

Use a plugin: https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/search.php?q=recent+posts

Or use this code:-

// GET POSTS
		$r = new WP_Query(array('showposts' => $show, 'what_to_show' => 'posts', 'nopaging' => 0, 'post_status' => 'publish', 'caller_get_posts' => 1));
		if ($r->have_posts()) :
?>
		<?php echo $before_widget; ?>
			<?php echo $before_title . $title . $after_title; ?>
			<ul>
			<?php  while ($r->have_posts()) : $r->the_post(); ?>
			<li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php if ( get_the_title() ) the_title(); else the_ID(); ?> </a></li>
			<?php endwhile; ?>
			</ul>	

<?php
		// echo widget closing tag
		echo $after_widget;

		wp_reset_query();  // Restore global post data stomped by the_post().
		endif;

oh, and $show is the number of posts to be showed.

Do $show = 5, and it will show 5 most recent posts.