Web and mobile app development have become a critical aspect of today's consumer market. Businesses around the world need applications and websites that are flexible and scalable.
Consequently, they require a suitable coding language for it. Currently, numerous programming languages are used for this purpose. However, the PHP vs Python battle is something that most developers are familiar with.
Being the two most widely used languages for backend development, with many compelling attributes, the choice between PHP or Python can be hard to make. There is a lot of development that is observed in both, whether it is PHP or Python development company.
PHP vs Python - Factors that Affect the Choice of Web Framework Selection
Learnability
A complex programming language will not be time and cost-effective. PHP and Python both are reasonably easy to learn. PHP offers huge community support which adds to its learning ease.
However, there are some decisive advantages of Python that beat PHP. As a general programming language, Python comprises shortcodes that can easily be read and understood by newbie developers.
It is not the case with PHP which, apart from not being a general-purpose language, is primarily meant for designing complicated web applications. And, this is something any PHP development company would proudly tell you.
Documentation Availability
Documentation availability is crucial for developers to understand the various aspects of a language. When it comes to PHP vs Python, documentation in the form of websites, forums, tutorials is easily available for both.
However, one can say that PHP scores over Python in terms of offering comprehensive documentation as a vast community of developers back it. It allows for easy rendering of PHP in comparison to Python.
Library Support
The development process becomes a lot easy with the presence of well-developed library support. Here, the confusion over PHP or Python can be quickly resolved
Python easily forges ahead in this respect due to its comprehensive ML libraries like Keras, TensorFlow, Theano, etc. PHP, on the other hand, has only one library called the Packagist.
Libraries offer many benefits to the developer. They facilitate integration with web frameworks and consequent reduction in project costs and risks. The huge library support of Python thus enables developers to build scalable apps and websites using it quickly.
Provision of Robust Web Development Frameworks
Well-designed and easy-to-use web frameworks minimize the need to reinvent features. Choosing between PHP or Python in this aspect is not difficult. It mainly depends upon the preference of developers.
Both languages offer powerful and robust frameworks. Frameworks like Laravel and Symfony offered by PHP are supported by a huge community. Django and Flask are the popular Python frameworks known for being scalable, secure, and fast.
Speed of Execution
Low latency and high tolerance efficiency of all the server-side applications require a programming language that has quick execution time. PHP vs Python comparison in terms of speed is crucial for developers designing performance-critical applications to be used by millions of people daily.
PHP 7.x is significantly faster than Python, the difference between their speeds varying between 10-30 milliseconds. Rapid response to user demands can go a long way in impacting the system's overall performance.
Easy syntax
A clear and concise syntax helps a developer code without worrying about restrictions related to it. PHP or Python, both provide good options in this case.
Although PHP has a built-in library of vast naming conventions, Python is still a better choice in this regard. It offers better readability and easy debugging of the written code through the Python Debugger (PDB). PHP, on the other hand, comes with a debugger called XDebug. Roughly equivalent in their performance, PDB is known to be stronger than the XDebug.
Pricing
Businesses that have a tight budget prefer using free frameworks. Here, the battle between PHP vs Python battle comes to a tie as both languages are free and open-source. It significantly contributes to their edge over other paid frameworks.
Management of Environments
Environmental management is not a thing of concern if you use containers for your application building process. However, if you need to segregate your app's installed language and library versions, you need to decide between PHP or Python
Python scores in this regard with Virtualenv, an original environment manager used to install, switch, and manage multiple language versions. Being in use for more than a decade, Virtualenv is widely regarded among developers as remarkable software in this respect.
Although PHP used to come with its environment manager called virtPHP, it is no longer in use. Thus, Python clearly emerges as a winner here in the PHP vs Python battle.
PHP vs Python - Final Thoughts
For a developer, choosing between PHP or Python ultimately depends upon their specific requirements. Although both languages offer exceptional capabilities, a closer examination of their attributes definitely gives Python a bit of an edge over its counterpart.
But, PHP is not far behind as it's the preferred choice for many large-scale web development projects. Your development goal, the future scope of your product, time frame, and allocated finances are essential determiners for choosing between the two programming languages. The future of the IT world, however, looks promising for both these languages.