PHP VS PYTHON: WHICH IS BEST FOR WEB DEVELOPMENT IN 2020

With the continuous emphasis on web and mobile app development, 2019 has all been about customer-centric and responsive applications. As a result, companies around the world aim to select a coding language that is a perfect fit for making scalable websites. PHP vs Python is a major comparison that companies seeking website solutions have to make.

Similarly, in 2020, it is also expected that web and mobile applications will continue to dominate the consumer market. As a result, two coding languages are giving each other a run for their money. The PHP vs Python battle has become an interesting one with developers from both sides having strong points to favor their language against the other. When it comes to Custom Web Development Services, the two most popular choices remain PHP and Python.

Client companies and IT firms have to keep the following aspects in mind while finalizing a web programming language.

• Ease of use/ syntax
• Reusability
• Developer Community
• Superior framework
• Rendering
• Debugging

It is predicted that the year 2020 and the coming decade will be all about innovation where the type of projects and consumer demands will decide whether Python or PHP will be a popular choice in the IT market for web-based solutions.

PHP vs Python – Factors to Consider for Web Development Language selection

The computer language to use for website development should encompass several aspects during the development phase. These important features are as follows.

• End-to-End Web Solutions
• Ease of Installation
• Learning Curve
• Simple Syntax
• Efficiency
• Environment Management
• Data Analytics
• Easier Rendering
• Price
• Library Support

Let’s elaborate on these paramount attributes to deliberate while choosing a suitable programming language for website development.

End-to-End Web Solutions

Nowadays, it is vital for companies to choose a language platform that aids in end-to-end web or application development. The emphasis is to minimize the overall project costs with the concept of reusability and rapid development of features for a quick project turn-around. It is a tie between PHP and Python on this hallmark.

Ease of Installation

PHP installs well on Windows, macOS X, and Linux platforms and can be found on a variety of shared hosting sites usually for a minimal fee. Python, on the other hand, has some installation challenges. If you have macOS X installed on your machine, then an existing Python version already exists on your computer that is outdated and is unsuitable for coding.

Installing new packages would not help update Python. In fact, you will have to install a new version on your system. On Windows, it is a lot worse as you probably will have to use a Windows package manager like Chocolatey to get started. Linux is kinder in this regard because it has no problems installing Python. So, PHP definitely edges Python on this facet.

Learning Curve

When it comes to PHP, you will find a lot of newcomer developers offering PHP development services even on various freelancing websites. Python as well has a lot of newbie developers learning the language. However, PHP gets slightly favored over Python on the ground of learning ease, because it is backed by a huge developer community. It also has large documentation that is readily available online and can be accessed freely or at a small cost.

Simple Syntax

It is all the more reason to go for a language that has an easy syntax. This statement stands true for beginner level programmers who want to immediately start syntax-error free programming. As a result, Python provides ease where user can code without having to bother about parenthesis and other syntax related “restrictions” that always fail the code during the build.

Python also offers better readability of the written code. At times, debugging is a lot easier in Python as well because the written code has a higher chance of being read and interpreted in the best possible manner. PHP poses more difficulty in this aspect which is why Python is a preferred choice on this criterion.

Efficiency

A well-written application is backed by a clean code that is highly efficient in terms of performance and memory usage. Although these seem like technical concerns, away from the eye and attention of the end-consumer; but they do have a great impact on how is the product received in the market. A slow application that takes time into responding to the user and providing the desired results can create bad reviews for the product, especially when there are many competitive products in the market that the users can easily be swayed towards.

With a better avenue for writing a well-planned code that produces more efficient results, Python scorers over PHP on this trait. Python is well constructed; it is robust to accommodate “whims” of the consumer market in developing out-of-the-box products. PHP does not have the same distinction as Python in this regard.

Environment Management

This is an important concept especially if you do not rely on containers for building applications. However, if that is not the case then you probably spend substantial time in segregating your application’s installed language and library versions.

In this regard, multiple versions of Python can be managed by various systems in the market. For example, there is Virtalenv that allows installing, managing and switching between multiple versions of Python. This is one of those original environment managers that have been maintained for over a decade. It is highly revered in the Developer community as an outstanding piece of software.

PHP too has an original environment manager, that goes by the name of virtPHP. But unlike its counterpart Python’s environment manager, this one has been shelved and no longer actively maintained. In fact, the PHP developer community suggests using containers instead. Hence, Python outshines PHP in this respect.

Data Analytics

A lot of Python Development Services pertain to analyzing data, hence the language aids towards the development of products and apps related to Big Data. This is an ever-evolving concept backed by a huge array of products and apps such as Google Maps, Uber, Careem, etc. to name a few. The concept of analyzing huge bulk of data in real-time and providing intelligible interpretation to end-consumers for making decisions on the fly is a widely popular concept that is certain to remain as a residing trend for the coming years.

Python is the language widely used for creating a clear succinct code that delivers accuracy and precision in delivering the desired results to the users for better decision-making capabilities. In consequence, Python gains an advantage over PHP on this angle.

Easier Rendering

Backed by a huge developer community, PHP has extensively comprehensive documentation. As a result, PHP follows a conclusive approach in rendering. Python has difficulty in terms of rendering, as It is not as clear as PHP. Therefore, PHP is a better choice in this respect.

Price

Nowadays, the majority of languages and platforms are developed to aid developers on a mass scale. Both Python and PHP are designed the same way – meaning both are free and open source. As a matter of fact, the major reason behind their popularity is the fact that they are available to anyone which gives them an edge over the paid web frameworks.

Library Support

The next aspect in the PHP versus Python discussion pertains to library support especially related to machine learning backed web applications. Python has many extensive machine learning libraries such as TensorFlow, Kera, Theano, Scikit Learn, etc. in comparison to only one PHP library which is known as Packagist. This is a big giveaway as to why Python holds more prominence in the IT industry as it provides faster libraries that offer ease of functioning.

Through these libraries, developers can integrate with the web frameworks, allowing reusability and quicker development time of features. The overall project cost is minimized along with several project risks such as more time in development and testing when you can employ re-usable components that are shared across the community. On that account, Python surpasses PHP due to the presence of multiple libraries.

PHP vs Python – FAQS

These are the frequently asked questions (FAQs) that people seek answers for when deciding on selecting PHP or Python as programming language for website projects.

What is the difference between Python and PHP?

The biggest difference between PHP and Python is that PHP is used for web development and Python is a general-purpose full-stack programming language. As an object-oriented scripting language, Python is also used for creating websites and applications that are driven by Big Data and machine learning.

Is PHP faster than Python?

In terms of application speed, PHP 7 is faster than Python.

Which is easier to learn Python or PHP?

In comparison to PHP and other programming languages, Python is a lot easier to read and learn. With relatively simpler coding, Python has a clear, brief and orthogonal syntax. The code written in Python is easier to understand in comparison to PHP.

Is PHP better than Python?

PHP is considered a web development language while Python is more focused on being a general-purpose language. PHP arguably powers the majority of the websites. Having said this, Python has a commanding standard library and it is denser with a clearer syntax. This makes Python even a preferred choice for web-based solutions, especially related to Big Data and machine learning.

Final Thoughts

In recent times, the concept of having cross-collaborative teams is a very popular way for resources to come together for project development. Hence, such projects have resources with varied types of skills. PHP with its limited choices and emphasis on wider knowledge about the language and its constructs can be cumbersome for developers who are not that adept in the language.

PHP is specifically for web development projects while the landscape for Python is wider. What you intend to develop, the overall product scope, your timelines, and budget are major giveaways on which language you want to select for your project needs. Both these languages offer specialized capabilities, but for now, it seems that the future for Python is slightly more positive than for PHP.

However, the coming trends in the IT world favor both these languages as they remain outstanding choices for web-based solutions. Are you looking to outsource your website project? Techliance has expert resources to perform website development and design tasks for companies all over the world. Contact with Techliance today for a free discussion.