There are many languages in the programming world and each language is known for its own specific feature and application.
This article will discuss two very popular programming languages, Python vs PHP. Both are popular in the field of software development. Both languages are very powerful and popular in the field of back-end development.
They are quite different in terms of syntax, defining variables, speed, areas of application, etc. There will always be a war between Python and PHP.
It will always be difficult to conclude which one is better. It varies from person to person according to the user’s needs and requirements.
So, if you are thinking to choose any one of them to learn and feeling confused, you should read this article before making any decision. Let’s discuss them one by one and then we will discuss their differences head to head.
Python
Python is an object-oriented, interpreted, high-level programming language that has enormous library support which is the reason it is often described as “batteries included” language.
It has in-built data structures. Also, it offers support for modules and packages. Python is used in various fields. It is mainly used in data analytics.
It is also used for web development and software development. It is also used in the field of medicine, astronomy, scientific calculation.
Python has always been an excellent choice for beginners to start learning programming language due to its simplicity and flexibility.
PHP
PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. It is an open-source scripting language. It is a server-side scripting language.
It is a powerful tool used to develop a dynamic website or web application. It is also used to control the access of users and encrypt data.
This language can easily be integrated with the majority of modern servers and OS. It can also work with cookies, making it a great programming language.
PHP is not used only in the field of web context, it also very useful in graphical applications and robotic drone control.
This language does not require any specific technical knowledge to start. So, it is very easy to learn even for a non-tech user.
Let’s discuss their features one by one.
Features Of Python:
- It is easy to learn, read and implement.
- It can be executed on various hardware platforms using the same Interface,
- Python is an open-source language, which means that anybody can publicly use, download, or share its source code.
- Low-level modules can be included by users in the Python Interpreter.
- It is an object-oriented language.
- Python supports and offers an ideal structure for large programs.
- It has an automatic garbage collection feature.
- It also offers an interactive mode of testing and debugging.
- It also supports GUI programming.
- It is an interpreted language as Python code is executed line by line at a time.
- It can be integrated with Java, C++, and C programming code.
- Python offers high-level dynamic data types.
- It also supports dynamic type checking.
Features of PHP:
- PHP is very simple and easy to use as compared to another scripting language.
- It supports many databases such as MySQL, Oracle, etc.
- It is faster and efficient compared to other languages such as ASP and JSP.
- PHP is an open-source language.
- It is platform-independent which means its code will run on every platform.
- PHP is case-sensitive.
- It has some pre-defined error reporting constants to generates a warning or an error notice.
- It provides a real-time access monitoring feature.
- It supports variable usage without declaring its data types.
Every language has both advantages and disadvantages. Similarly, both languages have some disadvantages also and it is very important to know about the advantages as well as disadvantages of a language before choosing it. So, let’s discuss their advantages one by one.
Disadvantages of Python:
- Python is quite slow as compared to other languages.
- Python is very strong and popular in desktop and server platforms but it is not a good choice for mobile development.
- It consumes high memory space due to its flexibility in the data types.
- The database access layer of python is a bit underdeveloped and primitive.
- Python requires more testing.
- It has some errors that only shown up at runtime only.
- Due to the simplicity and flexibility in Python, a user feels difficulty while learning other languages.
Disadvantages of PHP:
- PHP is not secure due to its open-source.
- It is not preferred for giant content-based web applications.
- Using more features of PHP results in poor performance of online applications.
- Any change or modification is not allowed in the core behavior of online applications.
- PHP has a lack of debugging tools as compared to other languages.
- PHP features have poor quality in handling errors.
- Its frameworks are not equivalent in behavior so does its features and performance.
- There are other programming languages that are easier for web apps.
- PHP is unable to handle a large number of apps.
We have discussed briefly both languages. Now let us compare them head to head on the basis of their features, advantages, and disadvantages so that it will be easy for you to choose the language according to your needs and requirements.
Python vs PHP: Head to Head Comparison
- Ease Of Learning:
- Python is very easy to learn. It is a perfect language for a beginner to start.
- PHP is quite tough to learn as compared to Python as it was not developed as a general-purpose language.
- Language type:
- Python is a general-purpose programming language.
- PHP is a scripting language for web development.
- Frameworks:
- Python has a smaller number of frameworks. DJango, Flask, Pylons, Pyramid are some examples of it.
- PHP users have access to more frameworks than Python users. Some popular examples are Zend, Codeigniter, Laravel, Slim.
- Speed:
- Python is a fast language.
- But PHP is even 3 times faster than Python.
- Community Support:
- The growth of python is very rapid in community support.
- PHP has wider community support as it has been in the market for a long time.
- Library support:
- Python has very well developed library support for almost all types of applications
- PHP lags in providing wider library support. It offers Packagist (PHP packages repository) which is a strong backbone holding PHP.
- Popularity:
- Python is widely used in AI, Data Science, and the Scientific field.
- PHP is mainly chosen for web development.
- Documentation:
- Documentation is available on the official site of Python and other forums.
- PHP is also well documented like Python.
- Syntax:
- Syntax of Python is very easy almost similar to human conversation.
- Syntax of PHP has a wide range of naming conventions.
- Database connectivity:
- In Python, Database connectivity is not strong as it is in PHP.
- PHP provides access to more than 20 different databases.
- Debugging:
- Python provides a powerful debugger named Python Debugger(PDB).
- PHP provides the XDebug package for debugging.
- Learning Curve:
- Python is a better option than PHP for long-term projects.
- PHP has a very low learning curve. So, it is a good option for a beginner to get started with.
- Readability:
- Python is more readable than PHP as it uses indentation enforcements that are quite strict.
- If we talk about PHP, it is highly documented and follows a classic approach.
- Key features:
- Python has dynamic typing, rapid development, and simple codes.
- PHP has free and open Source, laidback deployment, frequent enhancements.
- Functional programming:
- In Python, functional programming methods are supported.
- PHP has no functional paradigms.
- Security:
- Python is more secured than PHP, it has in-built cybersecurity features.
- PHP is not that much secured. Many security attacks have been witnessed.
- Notable Users:
- Famous Python using companies are Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest, Netflix, etc.
- Famous companies using PHP are Yahoo, Wikipedia, Slack, Mozilla, WordPress, MailChimp, etc.
Conclusion:
In this article, we have covered all the major points about both languages. We have discussed their main features, advantages, and disadvantages of both the languages and head-to-head comparison on the basis of almost all the factors which a user should know before choosing any language.
Even after comparing both the languages, it is still a difficult task to choose any one of the languages between them as both are good in their own way. Python is the gateway to AI and machine learning codes and many other scientific uses while on the other side PHP is used for server-side scripting and web development.
So, choosing the language is all depend upon your project requirements and needs. A user must know about the language before choosing it.
So, I hope by reading this article you may understand both the languages, their features, their ease of learning, advantages, and disadvantages and hope all your confusion between choosing between Python and PHP is sort out and you made your decision to choose the language according to your need and requirement.
